Nov. 10, 2012

Box score

OMAHA, Neb. - The Coyotes used a late 8-1 rally to top the Omaha Mavericks in five sets (25-22, 20-25, 21-25, 27-25, 15-9) in their season finale, but were knocked out of the Summit League playoff picture after Oakland topped Western Illinois in four sets.

USD ended the season on a five game winning streak to reach 14-14 overall and 8-8 in the Summit League.  The Coyotes will finish the season in a tie for fifth in the conference with North Dakota State and South Dakota State.

South Dakota won the final two sets of the match, committing only four attack errors total in those sets.  They forced Omaha (6-22, 1-15 in Summit League) to commit six errors in the last set alone.

Three Coyotes ended the season with double digit kill totals.  Kendall Kritenbrink (Gretna, Neb.) had 16 kills, Sydney Dimke (Ham Lake, Minn.) had a season high 15 kills, and Kim Bulaga (Crystal Lake, Ill.) finished her Coyote career with 13 kills.

Kritenbrink also had 13 digs for her - double-double of the season.  Riley Haug (Gretna, Neb.) led the Yotes in digs with 19, and Katie Bunkers (Columbus, Neb.) added 10.

South Dakota held a 13.5 to four edge in blocks for the match.  Kelsey Biltoft (Nelson, Neb.) led the Coyotes in blocks with a season-high 10 total blocks.  She also added four kills. 

On the other side of the net, the Mavericks were led by Michaela Schimmer's 19 kills and Amy Roberts' 28 digs.  Kim Bailey and Bailey Baxter both had three service aces.

Saturday's match was the last game for three Coyote seniors: Bulaga, Lindsey Sathre (Maple Grove, Minn.) and Bailey Lupardus (Camdenton, Mo.).