McKenna Ruch, Shayla McCormick combine for 26 kills as Omaha volleyball downs South Dakota

VERMILLION, S.D. — McKenna Ruch and Shayla McCormick combined for 26 kills in leading Omaha volleyball to a 25-18, 22-25, 25-20, 25-18 win at South Dakota on Saturday night.

Ruch finished with 14 kills, hitting .481, and is one kill away from 1,000 for her career. McCormick added a double-double with 12 kills and 13 assists. Ivy Leuck, who like McCormick is an Omaha Skutt graduate, also had a double-double with 18 assists and 15 digs. Emily Huss had a team-best eight blocks.

South Dakota got 15 kills and 15 digs from Papio South grad Lauren Medeck.

The Mavericks never trailed in winning the first set. Omaha raced to a 10-5 lead and South Dakota never made a serious charge the rest of the set. Shayla McCormick ended the set with a kill.

The Mavs led 10-9 in the second set when the Coyotes went on a 10-3 run for a 19-13 lead. UNO cut the deficit to 23-22 but couldn't catch the Coyotes as back-to-back kills from Lauren Medeck, a Papio South grad, ended the set.

The third set was back-and-forth most of the way as there were 17 ties. But at 19-19, the Mavs finished on a 6-1 run to take the set as Ruch had three kills in that stretch.

UNO scored five straight for a 12-9 lead in the fourth set and never trailed again.

Omaha will plays Thursday at South Dakota State, which is 14-0.

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