Bailey Reshel

VERMILLION, S.D. –- Kayli Broadbent had 22 kills to lead Utah Valley to a 25-22, 21-25, 25-20, 25-19 win over The University of South Dakota in Great West Conference action Thursday night in Vermillion, S.D.

Allyce Jones had 36 digs for UVU (17-8, 7-1 Great West), which is tied with North Dakota for the conference lead.

The Coyotes (11-13, 5-4 GWC) were led by 15 kills from Kristen Kritenbrink (Jr., Gretna, Neb.). Bailey Reshel (Fr., Hortonville, Wis.) added nine, while Tahnee Reed (So, Pierce, Neb.) and Kim Bulaga (Fr., Crystal Lake, Ill.) had six each. Gina Baldwin (Sr., Mitchell, S.D.) had 35 set assists for USD.

The match was highly competitive with several long rallies. The teams combined for 157 digs and 332 attack attempts in the four-set match.

The opening set was close the whole way. USD held a 17-16 lead before scoring three straight points – all three coming on Kritenbrink kills – to give the Coyotes a 20-16 lead.

USD held a 22-21 lead but a service error tied the set. Utah Valley took the lead for good with Camie Manwill putting down back-to-back kills, and a Coyote hitting error sealed a 25-22 Wolverine win in the opening set.

The Coyotes rebounded quickly in the second set, rolling out to a 14-7 lead, with Kritenbrink recording four kills and Bulaga, Reed and Reshel adding kills.

Utah Valley crawled back to tie the set at 20-20 but USD answered with four straight points, including a service ace by Reed and a Kritenbrink kill. A Utah Valley service error sealed a 25-21 Coyote win.

In the third set, USD fell behind 18-10 and never fully recovered, although the Coytoes did cut into the deficit. USD cut the lead to 22-18 after a kill by Baldwin, but UVU responded to earn a 25-20 win.

USD fell behind big in the fourth set as well, trailing 18-9 at one point, but again fourth back to within 22-18 after a Reed kill. The Coyotes got no closer, however, as the Wolverines earned a 25-19 victory to compete the four-set win.

Jenna Hatfield (Sr., Norfolk, Neb.) and Baldwin had four kills each for USD. Mallory Mork (Fr., Sac City, Iowa), Jillian Fields (Fr., Naperville, Ill.) and Reshel had 14 digs each, while Baldwin had 12. Hatfield had seven block assists and two solos for USD.

The Coyotes resume action on Thursday, Nov. 5 on the road at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. The match begins at 6 p.m. Central time in Newark, N.J. USD beat the Highlanders in five sets earlier this year.

Notes: USD finished 4-2 on its six-match homestand…Utah Valley hit .178 as a team, compared to .142 for USD…the Coyotes are 3-3 in four-set matches this year.