Final Stats

MACOMB, Ill. – Middle blockers Kelsey Biltoft and Melissa Firtko combined to record 16 kills and 13 total blocks as South Dakota volleyball swept Western Illinois 25-19, 25-20, 25-15 in Western Hall on Sunday afternoon.

Biltoft recorded eight total blocks, the most by a Coyote in a three-set match since the 2000 season. Overall, she tallied seven kills on 16 attacks, six block assists, two solo blocks and a hitting percentage of .417 while Firtko finished with nine kills on 12 attacks, three aces, five block assists and a hitting percentage of .667.

Biltoft and Firtko were two of three Coyotes (17-10, 11-3) to have more than half of their attacks result in kills and two of four players to record at least four total blocks.

Kendall Kritenbrink added nine kills on 16 attacks and four block assists, and setter Brittany Jessen averaged over 11 assists per set, finishing with 35 total and adding four block assists and seven digs. Sydney Dimke added eight kills and tied Audrey Reeg for the most digs with nine.

Western Illinois (5-21, 3-10) was led by Ann Miller's 14 kills and Molly Murphy's 12 digs. Samantha Fournier tallied 28 assists.

USD finished with a 14-4 advantage in blocks, forced the Leathernecks into 24 attack errors and recorded a .326 hitting percentage while holding WIU to a .104 mark.

Biltoft was a part of six of USD's eight blocks in the first set, tallying one solo block and five block assists. Firtko recorded six of USD's 15 kills during the frame. The Coyotes trailed 11-6 before finishing the set on a 19-8 run.

The sides tied 10 times in the second set before a 5-0 run gave the Coyotes an 18-13 edge and the lead for good. USD had 13 kills and three errors on 24 attacks for a hitting percentage of .417 in the frame. WIU out-killed USD 15-13, but gave USD 12 points off of errors.

Reeg, Kritenbrink, Biltoft and Dimke all recorded three kills as USD never trailed in the final set of the match. Firtko recorded all three of her aces in the set to add to the Coyote effort.

With the win, USD remains tied with Denver (22-6, 11-3) for second in the Summit League standings. Denver topped Oral Roberts in five sets on Sunday afternoon. Both teams remain a game in the loss column behind IUPUI (17-11, 11-2), who beat North Dakota State in three sets on Saturday night. IUPUI visits The Den on Nov. 16.

South Dakota returns home to host South Dakota State (6-24, 0-13) in a South Dakota Showdown Series match on Tuesday at 7 p.m.