Coyote volleyball loses first match in SCSC

A step out of Summit League play to take on the Iowa State Cyclones ended in a loss in straight sets for USD in front of a crowd of 1,397, the largest since the opening match of the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. The Coyotes went into the match on a six-game win streak and undefeated in seven matches in the new SCSC.

Iowa State opened the first set with six straight points and from there the Coyotes had trouble stopping the Cyclones. They dropped the set 11-25.

The second set wasn’t much better for USD. The Coyotes couldn’t keep up with Iowa State’s attack and fell 12-25.

The third and final set saw the Coyotes find life, but it was too little, too late. They lost the set 21-25. The Coyotes had eight kills and eight errors in the third set.

Iowa State out-killed USD 49-26 and out-blocked the Coyotes 8-2.

Redshirt sophomore Rachel Schmidt led the Coyotes in assists with seven, senior Audrey Reeg and freshman Elizabeth Loschen each added five. Reeg led the team in digs with 12, sophomore Lauren Mattison had 10. Junior and Summit League leader in assists per set Brittany Jessen had 20 assists on the night.

The loss drops the Coyotes to 17-3 on the year, but they remain an undefeated 6-0 in Summit League play. With the win, the Cyclones improve to 9-8, they are 1-4 in Big Ten play.

The Coyotes are back in Summit League action with three road matches. They will be in Omaha to take on the University of Nebraska-Omaha on Friday before traveling to Denver to face the Pioneers on Sunday. USD will then travel to Oral Roberts before returning to the SCSC on the 28th to take on UNO.