VERMILLION, S.D. — In its first match on the new TeraFlex floor, the South Dakota volleyball team won a five setter over Montana State to cap off the first day of the South Dakota Classic.
 
The Coyotes were led by freshman Lauren Medeck who put away 20 kills and added 18 digs for her second straight double-double. Avery Van Hook dished out 54 assists, four shy of tying her career-high, and set a new personal best with 20 digs.
 
Kylen Sealock and Cheyenne Hlady also put away double-digit kills with 15 and 13, respectively. Kamryn Farris dug up a team leading 23 digs, a new season high. Morgan Bode was active at the net, putting away seven kills and six blocks (one solo, five assisted).
 
The Yotes looked to take control in the middle of the first set, using a 5-0 run to take a 17-11 lead following a Hlady kill. The Bobcats answered with a 9-2 run of their own, grabbing a narrow 20-19 advantage. The teams traded a pair of runs and points, but it was ultimately the Bobcats who would take the first set, 28-26.
 
Frame two looked similar to the first set, as the Coyotes took a 15-9 lead midway through. This time, however, the Coyotes would curb any runs the Bobcats attempted, holding the lead throughout on their way to a 25-19 set win. Medeck put away a team-high six kills in the second set, followed by Hlady's four and Sealock's three. The Yotes offense picked up its pace in the set, putting away 17 kills on a .261 hitting percentage.
 
Montana State scored the first point of the third set, but after a pair of points from the Yotes, USD would carry the lead the rest of the way. Back-to-back kills from Medeck and Bode moved the Yotes closer to set point, as they held a 23-17 advantage. Montana State leaned on Madilyn Siebler, who put down three straight kills to pull the Bobcats within three. However, Kylen Sealock slammed the door shut on the third set with the final two USD points.
 
In line with the previous three sets, the fourth set was tightly contested the whole way through. With their backs against the wall, the Bobcats put together a 6-1 run to close out a 25-23 set win to push the match to a fifth set. Hlady found her rhythm in the fourth, tallying five kills on nine swings for a .556 hitting percentage.
 
Medeck and Van Hook put together perfect hitting percentages in the final frame to lead the Coyotes to the match win. Van Hook tallied four kills on four attacks, four assists and assisted in one block in the set. Medeck put away three kills on three swings and had two digs. Medeck would hold serve for four straight serves as the Yotes took a 12-4 lead after a big block from Bode and Van Hook. Audrey Nelson put away the match point with her ninth kill of the contest as the Yotes won 3-2.
 
South Dakota will return to action tomorrow afternoon when they face Iowa State at 5:00 p.m. in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
 
Notes

• South Dakota improves to 2-0 all-time against Montana State
• The Coyotes are now 15-1 all-time in the South Dakota Classic
• It was the first USD match of the season that went to five sets this season
• South Dakota is now 4-0 on the season when they win the second set, and 2-2 when dropping set one
• For the match, the Coyotes hit .192 to Montana State's .182
• USD recorded five service aces, with three from Morgan Bode, while the Bobcats had one ace
• Lauren Medeck improved on her season high kill total for the third straight match with 20 tonight
• Medeck tallied her second straight double-double with 18 digs
• Avery Van Hook tallied a career-high 20 digs to go along with 54 assists, a new season high
• Kamryn Farris' 23 digs were a season-best and her seven assists match a career-best
• Cheyenne Hlady set a new career-high with 13 kills on 30 swings, and reached double-digits for the first time as a Coyote
• Kylen Sealock has reached double-figure kill totals in five of six matches so far this season
• Van Hook and Medeck combined for seven kills on seven swings in the fifth set