Kansas City
1-0,1-0Summit League
North Dakota State University
2-1,0-1Summit League
Volleyball Picks Up Five-Set Win in Season-Opener
1/31/2021 7:25:00 PM | Volleyball
Melanie Brecka led the way with 22 kills while Arnold and Warren impressed in their Roo debut
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Melanie Brecka and Maddie Renn began their junior campaigns on the right foot, leading Kansas City (1-0) to a five-set victory over North Dakota State (2-1), 25-23, 18-25, 21-25, 25-18, 15-13. Brecka threw down a career-high 22 kills while Renn dug up a career-high 26 attacks in the victory.
"Our stick-to-itiveness was good and we showed a level of grit that we expect our kids to have," Head Coach Christi Posey said. "I'm really proud of the effort."
The Roos fell behind by nine points early in the first set, 14-5, but quickly found their stride, winning 10 of the next 13 points. Brecka led the way in the attack, posting nine kills on .467 hitting. Kansas City closed the set on an 8-4 run to take the advantage.
The next two sets went the Bison's way, holding Kansas City to .046 hitting. NDSU's front line caused problems for the Roos, as they finished the day with 13 total blocks.
Kansas City's freshmen saw some action after the second set and played a key role in the comeback. Odyssey Warren was impressive on the wing, notching nine kills on .280 hitting. Ashia Dorsey and Carly Gillen saw action in the middle as well, combining for two points.
"The freshman are going to have to learn on the job, and they're open to that," Posey said. "There are still some things that they have to learn, but I was really pleased with the way that they played."
After being held to five kills in the second and third sets combined, Brecka picked up the pace again in the fourth and fifth. She placed four kills in each set, opening up the attack for her teammates.
"Melanie brings a level of offense that we lost with Alicia (Harrington) and Ty (Lukes)," Posey said. "She's a talented kid that helps us in a lot of different ways."
De'Janae Arnold impressed in her first match with the Roos, finishing with 10 kills on .360 hitting. She was also a force to be reckoned with at the net, leading the team with four total blocks.
Alex Ratzlaff posted a double-double with 14 kills and 18 digs, her first double-digit kill match since her sophomore year. Alli Schomers continued her Setter of the Year-level play, dishing out 54 assists with six kills and three aces. Schomers has now recorded at least 30 assists in the past 23 matches, dating back to September of last season.
Kansas City will complete its two-game series with the Bison tomorrow at 4 p.m. on the Roo Sports Network.
