University of South Dakota Athletics

ST. PAUL, Minn. – South Dakota volleyball picked up its first Summit League win of the season with a 3-0 road sweep over St. Thomas Thursday night. 

Gabi Zachariasen paced the Yotes with 14 kills, her fourth career double-digit kill performance, to go with two aces, three blocks and four digs. Lauren Medeck notched a double-double with 10 kills and 12 digs, while Morgan Bode had nine kills on a .304 hitting percentage. 

Amanda Loschen was in on five of the Coyotes' eight blocks on the night to lead the team. Sierra Pokharel had a team-high 18 digs, her most in a three-set match this season. Avery Van Hook dished out 36 assists, had 14 digs and two blocks.
The Yotes jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the first set behind a pair of blocks and a kill each from Lauren Medeck and Amanda Loschen. After the Tommies cut into the Coyote lead, the Yotes would push their lead back up to five, 15-10, following back-to-back kills from Audrey Nelson. 

St. Thomas pulled the set even at 16-16 but Bode would curb the Tommies' momentum with two straight kills. After Bode put the Yotes on set point with a kill, the Tommies answered with three straight to tie it at 24-24. A St. Thomas service error, followed by Zachariasen's fourth kill gave USD a 26-24 set win. 

The Tommies were in a groove to start set two and raced out to an 18-11 lead. Medeck started a 7-1 Coyote run with a kill to pull within one, and after back-to-back points for the Tommies, the Yotes took their first lead of the set (22-21) since scoring the first point with four straight capped by a block from Van Hook and Loschen. The Yotes and Tommies traded points to reach a 25-25 tie. Medeck and Bode closed out the second set with back-to-back kills and USD moved up 2-0 in the match. 

A set featuring multiple runs by both squads saw neither team lead by more than three until a 4-0 run late gave South Dakota a 21-15 edge following a Zachariasen kill. A solo block by Zachariasen moved the Yotes to set point, 24-17, and she would team up with Loschen for the match-winning block. USD won set three 25-20 and the match 3-0. 

It was the Coyotes fourth sweep of the season and first sweep in a true road game. USD moves to 8-5 on the season and 1-1 in Summit League play. 

South Dakota's 73 digs on the night were the most in a three-set match this season.

South Dakota continues its week on the road on Saturday when it travel to Omaha, Nebraska, to face the Omaha Mavericks at 1 p.m.

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