SDSU FALLS 3-1 AT NO. 13 MINNESOTA

Sunday, September 14

Minneapolis, Minn.

3:00 p.m.

South Dakota State University

5-2,0-0Summit League

Minnesota

8-1,0-0Big Ten

South Dakota St.

Minnesota

Photo by: Megan Glover | South Dakota State

9/14/2025 6:59:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The South Dakota State volleyball team took a set off No. 13 Minnesota Sunday afternoon but ultimately fell 3-1 to the Gophers at Maturi Pavilion.

Set scores went 23-25, 28-26, 18-25, 20-25. South Dakota State moves to 5-2 on the season while Minnesota improves to 8-1 and stretches its win streak to eight games. Prior to SDSU's set-two win, the Gophers had won 14 consecutive sets dating back to August 31.

Sylvie Zgonc matched her season highs with 18 kills and 15 digs to lead SDSU. The junior outside had six kills in the second set alone, including the game winner. Madison Burr added 10 kills to go with four blocks, all in the second set, and two aces and two digs.

Sydni Schetnan tacked on nine kills and paced the Jackrabbits with six blocks (five assists, one solo). Freshman Hannah Klein added 10 kills and three blocks. Annalee Ventling-Brown notched seven kills and three blocks.

Maggie Meister, also a freshman, paced the Jackrabbits with a career-high 16 digs. She was joined in double figures by Zgonc (15), Joslyn Richardson (12) and Rachel Wieber (10). Setter Rylee Martin dished out 46 assists and contributed eight digs.

Minnesota's Alex Acevedo paced the Gophers with 16 kills, while Julia Hanson and Lourdes Myers combined for 21 kills and 12 blocks. Setter Stella Swenson recorded 36 assists and 15 digs.

The sides were evenly matched in total kills, each recording 55, but the Gophers held an edge in efficiency and defense. Minnesota posted a .196 hitting percentage compared to SDSU's .134 and out-blocked the Jackrabbits 17.5 to 11. The Gophers also had a slight advantage in service aces (five to four). Both teams tallied 70 digs.

Set one: The Jackrabbits never let the Gophers pull away in the opening set. SDSU led 3-1 early behind an ace serve from Joslyn Richardson, but Minnesota put together a six-point run to go up 7-3. Sylvie Zgonc put down consecutive kills during a 3-0 stretch to bring SDSU back within one. SDSU never regained the lead but kept Minnesota in striking distance. A 7-2 run capped by a Hannah Klein had the Jacks down just one at 24-23 before Minnesota won the set with a kill.

Set two: Set two featured eight ties and five lead changes. SDSU surged ahead 8-3 to open the set with three kills and a block by Sylvie Zgonc. Madison Burr added two blocks and a kill in the same run. Minnesota clawed back to regain the lead and force an SDSU timeout at 14-12. Out of the break, the Jacks scored five straight with multiple kills from both Annalee Ventling-Brown and Sydni Schetnan. State led 23-19 but allowed a 5-0 run by the Gophers and faced set point trailing 24-23. The Jacks staved off two Minnesota set points and ended the set with four of the final five points to win 28-26.

Set three: The Jacks took an early 7-4 lead in set three but gave it up during a 7-1 Gopher run. The Jacks were within one at 14-13 following a Madison Burr kill. After a Minnesota timeout, the Gophers scored six straight to lead 20-13. The Gophers used their second timeout after Burr notched an ace to make it 22-18 in Minnesota's favor. The home team scored the final three points of the set immediately following the timeout.

Set four: The final frame saw nine ties and three lead changes. SDSU opened with a service ace from Rylee Martin and led 7-5 after a kill from Madison Burr. The sides traded points until a 5-1 Minnesota stretch put them up 19-14. The Jacks scored the next four points capped by a Burr ace to come back within one, 19-18. SDSU was again within one at 21-20 after an Annalee Ventling-Brown kill but the Gophers scored the final four points of the set.

NOTES

Minnesota leads the all-time series 4-1.
Sylvie Zgonc and Madison Burr were named to the all-tournament team. Zgonc averaged 4.40 kills and 4.70 points per set over three matches in Minnesota. She also tallied a team-high 3.50 digs per set. Burr finished the weekend with 2.90 kills per set while hitting .333 and tallied 1.40 blocks per set,
This is the second time in its Divison I history the Jackrabbits have taken a set off a ranked team. The first time was against then-No. 15 Middle Tennesse State in 2008.

UP NEXT
South Dakota State wraps up the non-conference portion of its season at home next weekend. The Jackrabbits host Boise State both Friday at Saturday at First Bank & Trust Arena.

-GoJacks.com-