South Dakota had a long week of games as they competed on the road against North Dakota and back at home for a doubleheader weekend against Western Illinois and St. Thomas.
The Coyotes went on the road to face off against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks on Tuesday night. They took the game three sets to two.
The Fighting Hawks took the first set in extras 26-24, but the Coyotes came back with victories in the next two sets, 25-19 and 25-23. Then the Fighting Hawks forced a fifth set with a 25-18 win in the fourth set. The Coyotes pulled away in the fifth and final set 15-8.
Both teams stayed even in stats throughout the game but a deciding factor was the Coyotes having won the error battle as the Fighting Hawks had 30 errors but the Coyotes only had 26.
The Coyotes had a two-game week at home with Western Illinois and St. Thomas going to Vermillion to play the Coyotes.
The Coyotes first faced the Western Illinois Fighting Leathernecks on Thursday The Coyotes came into the matchup with a nine-game win streak.
The Coyotes took the game in three straight sets over the Leathernecks winning 25-15, 25-11 and 25-16.
Junior outside hitter Elizabeth Juhnke helped the Coyotes get it done on both ends of the floor as she led the team with 14 kills and 17 digs. Freshman setter Madi Woodin helped on the offensive side as she led the match with 40 assists. Junior middle blocker Madison Harms led the team with five blocks.
Sophomore outside hitter Brittany Wulf led the Fighting Leathernecks with 10 kills.
The Coyotes faced off against the St. Thomas Tommies on Saturday. The Coyotes were looking to extend their win streak to 10 games.
The Coyotes got two close set victories in the first sets, 25-21 and 25-20. The Coyotes then won the third set decisively, 25-8.
The Tommies beat the Coyotes in total blocks 8-6. Both teams ended the game with 15 errors. The Coyotes beat the Tommies in service aces 12-3. Juhnke led both teams with 18 total kills.
St. Thomas freshman middle blocker Emma Goerger led both teams with six total blocks.
The Coyotes extend their win streak to 11 games and will play Kansas City (Nov. 10) and Oral Roberts (Nov. 12) on the road next week.
