VERMILLION, S.D. — The Coyotes hit a season-best .394 in a 3-0 sweep of North Dakota State Tuesday night to close out the regular season in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
 
With the win, South Dakota volleyball has now won 20 or more matches in seven of the last 12 years and 12 or more Summit League matches in nine of the last 12. 
 
Ball led the Yotes with 13 kills on a new career high .478 hitting percentage, while Lauren Medeck had 11 kills and seven digs and Loschen had 10 kills on an errorless 20 swings. 
 
Kamryn Farris led the Yotes in digs for the 24^th time with 15 digs, while Avery Van Hook notched her 19^th double-double of the season with 32 assists and 14 digs.
 
The Yotes jumped out to an 8-4 lead early in the first set following a pair of kills from Ball, but the Bison would fight back to pull the score even at 9-9. A 4-1 run with kills from three different Coyotes pushed the lead back in USD's favor. Looking to take the momentum late in the frame, NDSU put together a 5-1 run to grab an 18-17 advantage, but back-to-back kills from Loschen started a run of five unanswered as the Yotes took control of the set. Medeck moved the Yotes to set point, and Morgan Bode and Audrey Nelson teamed up for a block to close out the first set 25-20 in USD's favor.
 
Ball had the hot hand in the opener as she put away six kills on eight swings for a .625 hitting percentage.
 
Ball continued her tear by opening the second with a kill, and while the score would tie on three occasions, the Yotes held the lead throughout the set. Loschen would again kickstart a Coyote run, as she was involved in three straight points with two kills and a block. The 7-1 run moved USD to a 14-8 advantage, and the Yotes would hold a lead greater than four the rest of the way. Ball and Loschen combined for four kills on the last seven Coyote points to close out a 25-16 set two win.
 
The Coyotes hit a blistering .533 in the second set with 17 kills, paced by Amanda Loschen's 6 kills on seven swings and Ava Ball's five on nine swings.
 
After NDSU scored the first point of set three, Medeck started a 6-1 run where she put away three kills and the Yotes were in the driver's seat to close out the match with a 25-16 set three win. Medeck started another 6-1 run with a kill, followed by an ace, while Van Hook capped off the run with a block alongside Bode and a kill that was assisted by Bode.  
 
South Dakota will now turn its attention to the Summit League Tournament where they are the No. 2 seed and will face the winner of No. 3 St. Thomas and No. 6 Omaha on Monday at 3 p.m. in Brookings, South Dakota.
 
Notes
·       The Yotes improve to 20-8 on the season, 11-3 at home and 12-4 in conference play
·       Ava Ball had 13 kills on a new career high .478 hitting percentage
·       Kamryn Farris led the Yotes for the 24^th time this season with 15 digs
·       Farris eclipsed 500 digs on the season tonight (504), marking the second straight year she's totaled 500+ digs (565 in 2024)
·       With 32 assists on the night, Avery Van Hook moved into 6^th all-time in program history and has 3,214 career helpers
·       Van Hook recorded her 52^nd career double-double
·       USD hit a season high .394 in the win
·       The Yotes have now won four straight matches
·       South Dakota has now won 20 matches for the seventh time in the last 12 years
·       USD has won 12 or more Summit League matches in nine of the last 12 years
·       South Dakota is now 137-4 when winning the first two sets of match under Williamson and 200-23 when winning the first set of a match
·