VERMILLION, S.D. — In a marathon of a match, South Dakota volleyball prevailed with a reverse sweep (23-25, 25-27, 25-20, 25-21, 15-13) over Florida Gulf Coast Friday night in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. Both teams reached the 20-point mark in each of the first four sets, while the fifth set was decided by just two points.
 
Lauren Medeck set a new career-high with 24 kills on a .270 hitting percentage and recorded her seventh straight double-double with 13 digs. Avey Van Hook dished out 52 assists and tallied a career-high 22 digs.
 
Morgan Bode and Audrey Nelson hosted a block party at the SCSC tonight, as the duo combined for 17 blocks. Bode matched her career-high of nine rejections with two solo, while Nelson had eight total and two solo. Kamryn Farris tied her season-high of 25 digs and secured her third career double-double with 13 assists.
 
Samantha Laird, who entered the lineup in the second set, was pivotal in shifting the momentum in the Coyotes favor in the third set as she put down four kills on six swings with no errors. Down 0-2 in the match and the score tied at 18-18, Nelson swung the energy in the Yotes direction with a big kill and would team up with Bode for a block on the next point that started a 7-2 run. Sam Untiedt served up back-to-back aces, while Medeck's kill but the Yotes on set point. A FGCU error would secure the set for the Yotes and move the match to the fourth.
 
The score tied 10 times and the lead changed hands three times in the fourth set with the Yotes taking the largest lead of the frame at 21-16. FGCU held an 11-9 advantage, but Medeck and Bode would lead a 6-1 charge for the Yotes with a combined five kills as the Yotes grabbed a 15-12 lead. An error from the Eagles put the Yotes on set point, and in a foreshadowing of the fifth set, Laird would drive home the final kill and push the match to five. Amanda Loschen put away an errorless four kills on six swings, while Medeck had five in the set.
 
Medeck put away four kills in the fifth, while Bode, Loschen and Laird all put away two each. Medeck and Bode met at the net for a block and Bode put down back-to-back kills as the Yotes led 8-5 at the side change. Two straight terminations from Medeck gave USD a 13-10 lead, but FGCU answered with three straight to even it. A FGCU service error pushed the Yotes to match point, and on her birthday, Laird hammered home the match-winning kill.
 
Florida Gulf Coast took the first two sets, outhitting the Yotes in the first set .235-.196 and in the second set .314-.279. The first set saw a pair of lengthy runs from both teams, but it was the Eagles who scored four in the final six points to take the first 25-23. A 7-1 run late in the second set moved the Yotes to set point, 24-23. Loschen tallied two blocks in the run, while Nelson was involved in a pair of blocks as well. FGCU, however, dug in and scored four of the next five to take set two, 27-25.
 
South Dakota closes out the Coyote Invitational presented by Premier Real Estate tomorrow night against #17 Kansas at 5 p.m. in the SCSC.
 
Notes

• The Coyotes earn the win over FGCU in the team's first meeting
• Lauren Medeck set a new career-high with 24 kills
• Avery Van Hook dug up a career-high 22 balls and dished out a season-high 52 assists
• Kamryn Farris matched her season-best with 25 digs
• Farris recorded her third career double-double and her second of the season
• Morgan Bode matched a career-best with nine blocks, while Audrey Nelson had eight
• Sam Untiedt tallied 11 digs, her first time reaching double-digits in her career
• Untiedt also had a career-high three aces
• Amanda Loschen hit .414 for the match, her third time this season swinging over .400
• It was the Yotes first reverse sweep of the season