Jacks extend win streak in weekend finale

MACOMB, Ill. (SDSU) — South Dakota State volleyball topped Purdue Fort Wayne 3-1 (24-26, 25-19, 25-20, 25-22) Saturday afternoon in the final match of the Leatherneck Classic hosted by Western Illinois.

The Jackrabbits are 6-0 through the first two weekends of action. SDSU’s 6-0 start is the longest unbeaten streak to start a season in the Division I era. The last time the Jacks were 6-0 was 2002.

Sylvie Zgonc recorded her third double-double of the season with 15 kills and 14 blocks on the day, both team highs. She also notched five ace serves, matching her career high.

Zgonc was joined in double figures by Alyssa Groves , who tallied 11 kills at a .444 clip. The graduate student also took part in five blocks. Sydni Schetnan was also in on six rejections and added nine kills at a .400 hitting percentage.

Rylee Martin and Camryn Honn teamed up on the setting duties, dishing 24 and 17 assists, respectively. Honn also had 12 digs.

The Jackrabbits had a 12-5 edge in total blocks and 9-3 edge in aces, which was the difference in the match. PFW had the advantage in kills (59-54), assists (53-48) and digs (73-62).

The Mastodons were led by Panna Ratkai’s 20 kills.

Set one: Schetnan had two blocks and a kill during a 5-2 start. PFW worked back to tie the set at 7-all with a 3-0 run. Tied at 9-9, Zgonc put down a kill for the lead and sparked a 3-0 run for the Jacks. Another 3-0 run capped by a Joslyn Richardson ace made it 18-15 and forced a Mastadon timeout. With the Jackrabbits up 21-19, PFW put together a 5-1 stretch to set up set point. The Jacks got two points back, tying the set at 24, before PWF won it 26-24.

Set two: Annalee Ventling-Brown notched a kill for the lead 8-7 lead in set two, then again to make it 10-8. The sides went back-and-forth until the Jacks won the set with a 9-2 run. Groves had two blocks and two kills during the stretch.

Set three: Three straight service aces from Zgonc gave the Jackrabbits a 6-4 lead in the third set. Neither side led by more than one until the Jacks finally pulled away with a 6-1 run that featured back-to-back kills by Ventling-Brown. The senior had another kill over the final few points of the set and Groves ended it with a kill, 25-20.

Set four: SDSU got off to a 9-2 start in the final set. Madison Burr had a block and then a kill to make it 12-4. Katie Van Egdom had a solo block during a 3-0 run for the 20-13 lead. Purdue Fort Wayne made a late 5-0 push to come back within two, then another 4-0 run to trail by only one at 23-22. Zgonc put down her 15th kill of the night to go up two, then Burr ended the match with an ace.

NOTES
SDSU graduate assistant Karly Berkland ‘s sister, Meg, is a freshman on the volleyball team at Purdue Fort Wayne. She had two digs and an ace as a serving sub.

UP NEXT
South Dakota State travels to Peoria, Illinois next weekend to take on Eastern Illinois Friday and Bradley Saturday.

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