FIRST SERVE
The South Dakota Coyotes (9-7, 6-1) travel to face Summit League leader Omaha (9-7, 6-0) in Thursday's 7 p.m. showdown in Omaha.

THE COYOTES
The Coyotes, currently second in the Summit League, are paced by junior outside hitter Elizabeth Juhnke at 3.46 kills per set and 2.95 digs per set. The returning first-team All-Summit League performer is at 3.68 kills per set and 3.00 digs per set in league play. Juhnke has reached double figures in kills in 15 of 16 matches and has registered eight double-doubles on the season.
Sami Slaughter, a fifth-year senior, is averaging 2.59 kills per set while junior Madison Harms is right behind at 2.52. Aimee Adams, a junior, and Maddie Wiedenfeld, a senior, chip in 1.88 and 1.69 kills per set, respectively for the South Dakota offense.
The offense is directed by senior setter Madison Jurgens, who ranks third overall in Summit League at 10.07 assists per set. She ranks second in league play at 11.20 assists per set. 
The Coyotes boast a .321 team hitting percentage in the six Summit League matches, tops in conference play, while its 13.84 kills per set average in league play ranks fourth. 
Defensively, senior libero Lolo Weideman ranks third in the Summit League at 4.51 digs per set. 
Harms averages 1.27 blocks per set, tops in the league, and Wiedenfeld 0.81 for a team that leads the Summit League at 2.44 per set. 
Wiedenfeld and Harms rank 1-2 in Summit League play in hitting percentage at .464 and .447, respsectively. 

LAST TIME OUT
For the second straight match five Coyote attackers had at least six kills in a sweep over North Dakota.
Juhnke had eight kills, Harms seven while Adams, Wiedenfeld and Slaughter posted six kills apiece. 
Jurgens contributed 27 assists, nine digs and three service aces while Lolo Weideman had 17 digs and seven assists. 
Brooklyn Bollweg had eight digs and two aces, while Brooklyn Schram also had two aces. 

OMAHA
Omaha has started the league slate at 6-0, having dropped just two sets. Four of those six matches have been at home as the Mavericks will play seven of first nine league contests at home.
Sadie Limback, a six-foot senior, ranks second in the Summit League at 3.85 kills per set to go with a strong .342 hitting percentage in all matches. During league play, the returning first team All-Summit League performer is averaging 4.40 kills per set and hitting .330. 
Mariah Buss, a six-foot sophomore transfer from Wichita State, is at 2.77 kills per set overall and is up to 3.35 kills per set during league play. 
Shayla McCormick, a 5-11 freshman, is averaging 2.63 kills per set in the Mavericks six league contests.
Omaha's offensive attack is directed by junior setter Sami Clarkson, second in the Summit League at 10.63 assists per set. The honorable mentiuon all-league selection a year ago, is up to 12.05 assists per set during league play, tops in the Summit.
The Mavericks defense is led by libero Jaiden Centeno, a 5-7 junior transfer from Iowa State, who tops the Summit League during league play at 5.05 digs per set. Claire Mountjoy, the Summit's Defensive Player of the Year in the spring, is averaging 3.55 digs per set during league play. 

LAST TIME OUT
Omaha defeated North Dakota State on the road in four sets, taking the final three sets after dropping the opening set. 
Limback reached double figures in kills for the eighth-straight match with 18 while also adding 10 digs for her fourth double-double on the season.
Buss had 10 kills while Clarkson contributed 40 assists, seven digs and three kills. 
Defensively, McCormick had 13 digs, Mountjoy 12 and Limback 10. 

THE SERIES
South Dakota leads the Division I era series 15-6. Omaha owns a 44-7 advantage during the Division II years from 1983-2007. The teams split a pair of matches during the spring season. 

UP NEXT
The Coyotes stay on the road to close out the first rotation through Summit League play with Saturday's match in Denver (2 p.m. CST).