First Serve
The Coyotes return to Vermillion to host Oral Roberts at 7 p.m. Thursday before hosting Kansas City at 2 p.m. on Saturday in the annual pink match.  Immediately following the Kansas City match, the Coyotes will be hosting a free clinic as part of the Title IX celebration series. All kids sixth grade and below are invited to participate.
 
The Coyotes
South Dakota (16-2, 5-1 Summit) returns junior all-American outside hitter Elizabeth Juhnke, who currently leads the NCAA with 382 kills. The five-time Summit League Performer of the Week was just named the league's athlete of the month for September after averaging a league-high 5.52 kills per set. Middle blocker Madison Harms, fifth-year defensive specialist Lolo Weideman, and senior outside hitter Aimee Adams also return to the rotation for the Coyotes. Weidman's 4.73 digs per set leads the league, while Brooklyn Schram's 10.24 assists per set sits at third in the league.
 
Record Breaking Play

• Juhnke recorded a league record 39 kills in South Dakota's five-set match against NDSU on Sept. 27. The 39 kills set a USD program record and set the mark for most kills in a match in the NCAA this season.
• Harms recorded a career-high 12 blocks in USD's 3-1 win over Denver on Sept. 24, which tied the four-set program record.
• Weideman also hit a career-mark in the Denver match, totaling 34 digs and matching the four-set program record.

 
Last Week
The Coyotes swept the weekend with a 3-1 win over St. Thomas and a 3-0 win over Western Illinois. South Dakota had a healthy offensive effort in the St. Thomas match, with three hitters in double digits. Juhnke led the Coyotes with a match-high 19 kills while Brynn Paumen recorded a career-high 15 kills with no errors to hit .750. In the 3-0 sweep over WIU, Juhnke tallied her 11^th double-double of the season with 17 kills and 10 digs. Freshman setter Madi Woodin recorded her first collegiate start for the Coyotes and tallied a career-high 35 assists.
 
Oral Roberts
Oral Roberts (5-13, 2-4) returns 2021 All-Summit team members Sakira LaCour and Trinity Freeman to its rotation. Lacour has totaled 90 blocks so far this season which ranks third in the league and 17^th nationally. As a team, the Golden Eagles lead the league in digs (1,166) and digs per set (16.19). Earlier this season, ORU traveled to Lubbock, Texas, and handed Texas Tech one of its four losses on the season. The Golden Eagles took down the Red Raiders in four sets.
 
Recently  
The Golden Eagles swept Western Illinois on Tuesday night to snap a four-game losing streak and earn their third conference win. Kaia Dunford recorded a match-high 12 kills and 18 digs to tally her eighth double-double on the year.
 
The Series
Thursday marks the 20^th meeting between the Coyotes and the Golden Eagles with USD holding a 14-5 advantage. USD and ORU split last season's series with each team winning its home contest. The Golden Eagles have not won in Vermillion since 2011.
 
Kansas City
Kansas City (5-15, 2-5) just snapped a four-game skid with a 3-0 win over St. Thomas on Tuesday night. Odyssey Warren leads Kansas City at 3.24 kills per set which sits at eighth in the league. Kennedy Schritenthal holds down the back row for the Roos with 4.26 digs per set. Earlier this season, Kansas City hosted No. 19 Kansas and stole a set from them in front of a sold out crowd.
 
Recently
The Roos snapped a four-game losing streak on Tuesday with a 3-0 win over St. Thomas, marking their second conference win this season. Warren added a team-high 13 kills while Carly Gillen added 11 kills and one block.
 
The Series
In the Division I era, the Coyotes hold an 8-5 advantage over Kansas City and sweep the series last season.
 
Up Next 
South Dakota heads back on the road to take on Denver on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. and Omaha on Oct. 22 at 3 p.m.