STORRS, Conn. — Three Coyotes held a .269 hitting percentage with three Yotes reaching double-digit kills as South Dakota volleyball picked up its third win of the season 3-1 (25-20, 25-27, 25-16, 25-21) over Colgate Friday night.
 
The Coyotes began to take control of the opening set near the midway point, as Ava Ball started a 9-2 USD run to take a 19-12 lead. Sam Untiedt delivered an ace for the Yotes, while Lauren Medeck tallied a kill and an ace in back-to-back points. Colgate pushed back on the Coyote attack with a 4-0 spurt to pull within three, 21-18, but the Yotes scored four of the final six points to take set one 25-20. Amanda Loschen found empty space for a kill to put the Yotes on set point, while a solo block from Medeck closed out the frame.
 
Colgate grabbed the second set 27-25 behind a .378 hitting percentage, while holding the Yotes to a .250 clip. The two teams traded blows throughout the set, but it was the Raiders who put together the final string of points to secure the set. With the Coyotes holding a 22-20 lead, Colgate used a 7-3 run to take the second 27-25 and even the match at one apiece.
 
South Dakota had a pair of 5-0 runs in the third set. The first Coyote spurt built an 11-6 lead, that included a pair of Ball kills, while Audrey Nelson was instrumental in the second run with two kills and a solo block that gave USD a 21-13 edge. Morgan Bode closed out the set in a flurry for the Yotes, putting down three kills in the last four points for USD to close out the set 25-16. Medeck and Nelson tallied four kills in the set, while Ball and Bode had three each.
 
The fourth set was heavily contested with the lead changing hands five times and the score tying 13 times. Medeck and Loschen were heavily involved in the Coyote attack, as Medeck had eight kills at a .467 clip and Loschen had five kills on a .444 rate. A pair of Loschen kills sandwiched a Sierra Pokharel ace that put the Yotes up 21-17 late. Medeck was responsible for the final four Coyote points, all on kills, to win the set 25-21 and the match 3-1.
 
Medeck led the way with 17 kills on a .324 hitting percentage and had a double-double with 13 digs, one ace and a solo block. Ball recorded her second match of the season with double-digit kills with 12, while Nelson hit double-figures for the first time this year with 10 kills at a .304 clip.
 
Van Hook tallied 44 assists, one ace, eight digs, a block and seven kills on eight attacks with no errors. Kamryn Farris matched her season-high with 25 digs and had two aces.
 
South Dakota closes out its time at the Top Dogs Challenge tomorrow morning against Ball State at 10:30 a.m. CT.
 
Notes

• South Dakota is now 1-0 all-time against Colgate and are 2-1 in neutral site games in 2025
• Lauren Medeck led the Yotes in kills for the fourth match in a row with 17 on a .324 hitting percentage
• Medeck also notched her fourth straight double-double with 13 digs
• Avery Van Hook set a new season-high with seven kills on eight attacks for a .750 hitting percentage
• Kamryn Farris served up two more aces and now has 12 through five matches
• Farris matched her season-high of 25 digs
• Sierra Pokharel reached double-digit digs for the first time in her career with 10
• The Yotes had eight aces to Colgate's three and had more digs 72-60
• USD hit .269 for the match and held the Raiders to a .204 clip