FIRST SERVE
The South Dakota Coyotes (5-7) close out the road swing in Summit League play with Saturday's 1 p.m. first serve at Kansas City (12-4).

THE COYOTES
South Dakota fell to 2-1 in Summit League play with Thursday's four-set loss to Oral Roberts. This is the Coyotes fourth match in eight days to begin Summit League play. Elizabeth Juhnke had 11 kills and 13 digs in the Oral Roberts match and has reached double digits in kills in all 12 matches this season. The junior leads the Coyotes at 3.47 kills per set while also chipping in 3.09 digs per set. She is lone player ranked in the top 10 of both categories in the Summit League. Madison Harms contributes 2.55 kills per set, Sami Slaughter 2.42, Aimee Adams 1.86 and Maddie Wiedenfeld 1.67 for an offensive attack that averages 12.27 kills per set. Madison Jurgens provides 9.76 assists per set and leads the team with 15 service aces. The Coyotes lead the Summit League at 2.44 blocks per set, led by Harms, who ranks second at 1.24. Harms' .350 hitting percentage ranks third in Summit League while Wiedenfeld is fifth at .320.

KANSAS CITY
Kansas City is off to a 3-1 start in league play with wins over North Dakota, North Dakota State and South Dakota State. The Roos lone league loss is to Denver. Kansas City's offensive attack ranks third in the Summit League at 12.94 kills per set. Melanie Brecka, the returning Summit League player of the year, is averaging 3.45 kills per set, good for third in the Summit. She chips in 2.82 digs per set and is one of three Roos with 20 or more service aces with 20. Odyssey Warren at 2.66 kills per set, Bree Thompson 2.58 and De'Janae Arnold 2.50. Alli Schomers, the returning Summit League setter of the year, is the current national leader in total assists at 659 while her 10.63 assists/set average leads the Summit League and ranks 31st nationally. Brecka had 11 kills and Thompson 10 while Schomers had 28 assists in the sweep over South Dakota State on Thursday. Libero Maddie Renn ranks second in the Summit League at 4.68 digs per set while her 24 total service aces are tied for the Summit League lead. Arnold's .408 hitting percentage is second in the Summit League. Head coach Christy Posey is in her 11th season and has a 168-125 overall record. 

THE SERIES
The Division I era series history dates back to 2011 as South Dakota holds a 6-5 advantage. Kansas City won a pair of thrilling five-set matches during the regular season a year ago. The Coyotes turned the tables in the Summit League semifinals with a 3-2 win. 

UP NEXT
The Coyotes will play at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls on Thursday, Oct. 7 against Summit League newcomer St. Thomas.