First Serve
South Dakota hosts St. Thomas on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the annual "Pink-Out" match inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. On Saturday, the Coyotes will travel to Kansas City to take on the Roos at 1 p.m. Both matches will be streamed on the Summit League Network. Prior to the start of Thursday's match, Leanne Williamson will be presented with a commemorative 200 career wins ball.
 
The Coyotes
South Dakota (9-7, 3-2 Summit) enters the split weekend on a three-match win streak, including a sweep of Denver and five-set wins over North Dakota and North Dakota State. The Coyotes' win over UND marked Williamson's 200^th career win.
 
Senior middle blocker Madison Harms averages 1.16 blocks per set, good for second in the league. Harms recorded her 1000^th career kill in South Dakota's match against Omaha on Sept. 23, becoming the 12^th Coyote in program history to join the 1,000-kill club. The middle blocker has 73 total blocks on the season so far and is just two blocks away from 600 career blocks. Defensive specialist Kamryn Farris has rotated into the libero position for the Coyotes. The sophomore put up a career-high 21 digs against Kansas City on Sept. 28 and has tallied double-digit digs in five of six games as the libero.
 
Freshman setter Avery Van Hook has stepped into the setter role for the Coyotes and has recorded seven double-doubles in 16 games, including a career-high 51 assists in USD's five-set win over Green Bay on Sept. 14. Freshman outside hitter Samantha Laird has rotated into the main lineup for the Yotes and joins fellow freshman Amanda Loschen in the front row. Laird recorded a career-high 13 kills in USD's five-set win over North Dakota on Oct. 5. Loschen fills the hole on the right side and put up a career-high 10 kills against Kansas City on Sept. 28.
 
The Tommies
St. Thomas (4-12, 0-5 Summit) is looking for its first conference win of the season after starting Summit play on a five-game skid. The Tommies started league play with three straight three-set losses but were able to win their first set of league play against first-place Denver before falling in four sets. St. Thomas also took Oral Roberts to four sets.
 
Freshman outside hitter Ellie Gustafson recorded her first career double-double in the Tommies' four-set loss to Oral Roberts. Gustafson led St. Thomas with 13 kills and 19 digs, which tied her career mark. Sophomore libero Ella Voegele is averaging 4.05 digs per set, good for second in the league. Voegele set the St. Thomas DI record with 23 digs in three sets against South Dakota State on Sept. 21.
 
The Tommies are led by Thahn Pham, who is entering his 21^st season at the helm for St. Thomas. Pham coached his 650^th match with the Tommies on Sept. 29 at North Dakota. He has led St. Thomas to 12 MIAC titles and one NCAA DIII title (2012).
 
The Roos
Kansas City (13-4, 4-1 Summit) had its four-match win streak squashed by first-place Denver on Oct. 7. The Roos fell to the Pioneers in five sets in Denver. Oral Roberts transfer Kaia Dunford led the Roos with 15 kills in their first league loss of the season. Earlier this season, Dunford led Kansas City to a 3-1 win over the Coyotes in Vermillion with 13 kills, three blocks, and two aces.
 
For the first time in Kansas City program history, Leah Green was selected as the Summit League Female Peak Performer of the Month. Green earned the honor on the heels of picking up two weekly defensive honors and leading the league in multiple statistical categories. Green is currently averaging a league-leading 4.87 digs per set, which also ranks 29^th nationally.
 
Multiple Roos lead the league in statistical categories, including middle blocker Carly Gillen who leads the Summit in blocks per set (1.23), total blocks (86), and hitting percentage (.365). Outside hitter Odyssey Warren leads the league in total kills (231), total attacks (776), and points (260.5). Sophomore setter Sydney Henry leads the league with 693 total assists but sits in second with 9.90 assists per set.
 
Up Next
South Dakota returns to Vermillion to host in-state rival South Dakota State as a part of the Interstate Series on Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. On Oct. 19, the Coyotes host Omaha at 6 p.m. inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.