Coyotes perform well in CSU/Wyoming tournament

The South Dakota women’s volleyball team closed the CSU/Wyoming Tournament with two consecutive victories, defeating Wyoming and sweeping UC Santa Barbara after opening the weekend with a loss to Colorado State.

The tournament began Sep. 10 in Fort Collins, Colo., where the Coyotes fell to Colorado State in three sets, 17-25, 14-25, and 19-25.

Lauren Medeck and Gabi Zachariasen led USD with nine kills each. Medeck also recorded 11 digs for a double-double, while Morgan Bode added five fills on a team-best .385 hitting percentage. 

Setter Ella Rogers finished with 26 assists, and Sierra Pokharel recorded nine digs and both of South Dakota’s service aces. The Coyotes were held to a .073 hitting percentage as Colorado State finished the match hitting .302.

South Dakota responded Sept. 11 with a four-set victory over Wyoming in Laramie, Wyo. The Coyotes won the first two sets, 25-15 and 25-17, before the Cowgirls took the third set, 25-15. USD answered with a 25-20 win in the fourth set to secure the match.

Medeck led the offense with 13 kills, while Audrey Nelson added nine and Amanda Loschen finished with eight kills. Loschen also contributed with five blocks.

Rogers recorded a double-double with 42 assists and 10 digs while adding a match-high four service aces. Samantha Untiedt and Pokharel led the defense with 13 digs each.

USD finished the match with 49 kills, nine aces, seven blocks and 60 digs. The Coyotes hit .248 while holding Wyoming to a .163 hitting percentage.

The Coyotes completed the tournament Sept. 12 in Fort Collins with a three-set sweep of UC Santa Barbara, winning 25-16, 25-16, and 25-22.

Zachariasen led South Dakota with 13 kills, Medeck added six kills and a team-high 14 digs, while Bode finished with five kills and five blocks.

USD’s defense controlled the match, holding the Gauchos to a .070 hitting percentage and without any service aces. The Coyotes recorded 11 team blocks, led by Bode’s five, and four each from Loschen and Medeck

Rogers directed the offense with 29 assists, Pokharel added 12 digs and Untiedt served a match-high three aces. South Dakota finished the tournament with a 2-1 record and improved to 7-2 overall.

The Coyotes will return to action at the South Dakota Lottery College Volleyball Classic in Sioux Falls. USD will face Minnesota on Sept. 18 at 7pm and Washington on Sept.19 at 12pm at the Sanford Pentagon.