University of South Dakota Athletics

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – South Dakota volleyball ended its weekend with a sweep of UC Santa Barbara Saturday at Moby Arena. 

On a day where the Coyotes hitting percentage was below its season average, the Yotes out blocked the Gauchos 11-3 and had five aces to UCSB's zero. Morgan Bode had five blocks, followed by Lauren Medeck, Audrey Nelson and Amanda Loschen who all had four. Samantha Untiedt served up a season high three aces.

Gabi Zachariasen put away 13 kills with a .313 hitting percentage, while Medeck led the Yotes with 14 digs and had six kills. Ella Rogers dished out 29 assists, had five digs and one block in her third straight start.

The South Dakota block was active in the first set, with six blocks led by Bode's three. After the Gauchos tied the score at 13, three straight Coyote blocks started a 7-2 run, which ended on a Bode and Rogers block, to take a commanding 21-15 advantage. Four straight from the Yotes, beginning with a Zachariasen solo block, closed out set one 25-16. 

After a back and forth start to set two, the Coyotes again dominated down the stretch, outscoring UCSB 14-6 to close out a 25-16 win. For a second straight set the Yotes held the Gauchos to a .000 hitting percentage. Zachariasen and Bode paced USD with three kills each, and the Yotes had two more blocks. Three straight UCSB errors, followed by back to back kills from Nelson and Loschen closed out five straight points for USD and the set two win. 

Zachariasen caught fire in the third set, putting away nine kills on 19 swings, including three straight kills to put the Yotes up 22-17. Earlier in the set, Zachariasen was also responsible for four straight Coyote points with four kills. Loschen moved the Yotes to match point, and a UCSB error closed out the Coyotes' third sweep of the season. 

The Coyotes return to the state of South Dakota next weekend for the South Dakota Lottery College Volleyball Classic next Friday and Saturday. The Yotes open the classic against #13 Minnesota on Friday at 7 p.m.
 

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