U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. — The South Dakota volleyball team won in straight sets over Fordham in its opening match of the Amy Svoboda Memorial Classical Saturday. Kylen Sealock set a new three-set career-best with 21 kills, while hitting a blistering .459. Sealock hit the 21-kill mark once last season in a five-set contest.
 
Four other Coyotes tallied six or more kills and hit at a .350 clip or better in the match in Cheyenne Hlady (9), Audrey Nelson (8), Samantha Laird (7) and Morgan Bode (6).
 
Avery Van Hook dished out 39 assists and tallied five digs. Kamryn Farris had a match-high 15 digs and added three assists and two aces.
 
"This was a great first match for us!  We have competed really well against ourselves during the course of the preseason, and I felt like we continued that into playing against someone else," said head coach Leanne Williamson. "Our offense was in a great rhythm, and we scored at a high rate. I believe we also won the serve and pass battle which played into our success on both sides of the floor. Our attackers were disciplined and very efficient tonight, with Kylen leading the way. I was proud of our mentality throughout the game and how everyone contributed to this team win!"
 
It didn't take long for South Dakota to knock the offseason rust off, as they notched 16 kills on 27 swings for a .519 attack rate in the first set. Sealock and Hlady powered the Yotes as the outside hitters put down a combined nine kills on 14 attacks. USD took command of the set early, grabbing a 10-4 lead following an Alaina Wolff ace which capped off a 7-1 run. The Coyotes took their largest lead of the set, 23-13, after Sealock's fifth kill and would win set one following a pair of Fordham errors.
 
Fordham would secure the early lead in set two but would never go up by more than three points on the Yotes. With the score knotted at 11, three straight kills from three different Coyotes would swing the momentum back in favor of USD who would hold the edge for the remainder of the set. Over the final 11 USD points, Sealock continued her impressive start to the season by putting away four more points to help USD take the second set 25-20.
 
The Coyotes scored five straight, with Farris holding serve for four of those points including back-to-back aces, as they pulled out to a 7-3 advantage in the final set. Fordham began to claw back late, but with a 20-17 lead the Coyotes would turn to the hot hand of Sealock who put away four straight USD points to put the Yotes on match point. In her first action in a South Dakota jersey, Hlady put away the match winning point to secure a South Dakota sweep over Fordham.
 
The Coyotes will return to action at the Amy Svoboda Memorial Classic tomorrow when they face Air Force at 3:00 p.m. (CT).
 
NOTES

• South Dakota earned a season opening sweep for the first time since the 2000 season when they won 3-0 over Tarleton State.
• The Coyotes are now 1-0 all-time against Fordham. USD will face another first time opponent tomorrow when they take the floor against Air Force.
• Kylen Sealock set a new three-set career high with 21 kills. Sealock has hit the 21-kill mark once before in a five set match last season.
• Cheyenne Hlady posted a career high nine kills in her first match as a Coyote.
• Avery Van Hook had a match high 39 assists and now sits with 950 career helpers.
• Kamryn Farris led USD in both aces (2) and digs (15).