SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Non-conference play is in the review mirror and the Summit League volleyball league regular season is finally here.
 
League competition kicks off Thursday at 7 p.m. CT with eight of the league’s ten members taking the court.
 
Denver looks to extend its six-match win streak as the Pioneers host Western Illinois at 8 p.m. CT. League newcomer St. Thomas will appear in its first league match since making the transition to Division I in Omaha at 7 p.m. CT.
 
Around The Summit League | All Match Times Central
Thursday, September 23
Kansas City at North Dakota State | 7 p.m.
St. Thomas at Omaha | 7 p.m.
Oral Roberts at North Dakota | 7 p.m.
Western Illinois at Denver | 8 p.m.
 
Friday, September 24
South Dakota State at South Dakota | 7 p.m.
 
Saturday, September 25
Oral Roberts at North Dakota State | 1 p.m.
Kansas City at North Dakota | 1 p.m.
St. Thomas at Denver | 2 p.m.
Western Illinois at Omaha | 3 p.m.
 
Tuesday, September 28
North Dakota at South Dakota State | 7 p.m.
Denver at Kansas City | 7 p.m.
North Dakota State at South Dakota | 7 p.m. 

Around The League

• Denver closed out its non-conference slate with a 2-0 record as the Pioneers hosted the Mile High Invitational. Denver defeated Incarnate Word 3-0 and Big Ten foe Iowa 3-0.
• After knocking off Iowa in three sets, the Pioneers head into league play with a six-match win streak and upped their record to 9-1 on the season.
• The Pioneers have now recorded its first season since 2008 with multiple Power 5 wins. The first came during the first invitational of the season when Denver defeated USC in five sets in Los Angeles, Calif.
• Lydia Bartalo paced the offensive effort for the Pioneers tallying 20 kills, a .310 hitting percentage and five service aces in two matches.
• Defensively, Gianna Bartalo recorded 22 digs in the two matches. She finished with 10 against Incarnate Word and 12 in the victory over Iowa.
• South Dakota State went 2-1 at the Jackrabbit Classic to close out non-conference play defeating Southeastern Louisiana (3-2) and Idaho (3-0) but falling to Drake (3-0). The Jacks now hold an 8-3 record heading into league play which is the team’s best start since 2012.
• Carly Wedel and Crystal Burk earned all-tournament team honors for their efforts. Burk tallied 58 kills, 20 digs and hit .307 in three matches including a double-double performance of 21 kills and 12 digs against Southeastern Louisana.
• Wedel guided the offensive effort dishing out 114 assists to go along with 26 digs during the Jackrabbit Classic.
• Omaha split the MH Hospitality Omaha Challenge defeating Weber State (3-1) but falling to Kansas State (3-1).
• Sadie Limback led the effort totaling 34 kills over two matches for an average of 4.25 kills per set. She recorded 19 against Weber State and 15 in the loss with K-State. She hit .431 on the weekend and added 10 total blocks.
• Claire Mountjoy notched her 2,000th career dig against Weber State finishing with a team-best 32 kills in the match. She finished the weekend with 48 total digs, eight assists and a service ace.
• Kansas City went 1-2 at the KU Tournament to close out non-conference play. The Roos fell to host Kansas (3-1) and Missouri State (3-2) but notched a 3-1 victory over Albany.
• Odyssey Warren led the Roos recording 38 kills, 3.45 kills per set and a .276 clip in three matches. Highlighting Warren’s efforts was a career-high performance of 19 kills on a .484 hitting percentage in the win over Albany.
• De’Janae Arnold was a force at the net tallying 13 blocks (1.0 blocks per set) in the three matches. Arnold finished the tournament with four digs and 2.92 points per set.
• North Dakota, North Dakota State, St. Thomas, South Dakota and Western Illinois enter league play after suffering from winless weekends.
• The Fighting Hawks went 0-3 at the CEFCU Invitational suffering sweeps from host Bradley, Saint Louis and Northern Colorado.
• At the Portland State Tournament, the Bison fall 3-0 to Portland State and Gonzaga. NDSU met Portland State again on the second day and was able to win two sets to close out the tournament.
• At the Diet Coke Classic, St. Thomas met No. 11 Minnesota and Iowa State and fell to both in three sets.
• At the Shocker Classic, South Dakota took host Wichita State to five sets and Wyoming to four before falling to both and was swept by No. 17 Creighton.
• Western Illinois went to the Southern Illinois Tournament and lost in straight sets to both Valparaiso and SIUE.