Coyotes top Bison in first match-up of conference season
In four games, Coyote volleyball extended their home win streak to 12 matches and made sure the conference revenge tour is on.
After a tough finish to last season’s conference season, the University of South Dakota volleyball team (7-6, 1-0) dropped North Dakota State Friday night 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, 25-17.
The Coyotes were led by their senior leadership as Kendal Kritenbrink, who dropped 22 kills for USD. Riley Haug picked up 20 digs and five assists in the win.
Included in the seniors’ performance was first-yea rBrittany Jessen. The setter set up the entire Coyotes squad as she recorded 46 assists in the contest.
The match wasn’t the smoothest for the Coyotes – in the second set, USD led 20-16, only to squander the lead.
However, the Coyotes wouldn’t let the second set come back under their skin. USD took another commanding lead in the third set 20-15, but instead of allowing another comeback, the Coyotes turned back the Coyotes 25-22.
USD dominated the attack, forcing the Bison to record 71 digs while their backrow only had 57 of their own.
It wasn’t much, but the frontline for the Coyotes also dropped nine blocks down in the Coyote Den to extend leads and demoralize the Bison.
The next match for USD comes quickly as Sunday the Coyotes host Oral Roberts in the DakotaDome. The second match of the conference season begins at 1:00 p.m.
(Melissa Firtko goes for a kill during the University of South Dakota-North Dakota State volleyball match-up Friday night at the DakotaDome. Anna Glenski / The Volante)
