In the deciding set, back-to-back kills by Cristin Richards (Olympia, Wash.) gave Seattle University an 11-9 lead, but South Dakota fought back, using a kill by Jenna Hatfield and an ace from Jolene Slagter to pull the Coyotes back into a tie at 11-11. Hatfield picked up another kill to give the home team a 13-12 lead, but she then committed an attack error, and SeattleU took advantage of that mistake with kills from Raissa Licano-Sanchez (Grandview, Wash.) and Jamie Mellies (Henderson, Nev.) to close out the match.
Richards and Kaytlyn Dill (Bothell, Wash.) collected 19 kills each to lead Seattle University, as most of Mellies' 43 assists came from setting up the two outside hitters. Dill also earned 16 digs and Richards picked up 13 digs and two block assists. Kelly Biette (Brighton, Colo.) led the team with four total blocks, and Emily Deleissegues (Aromas, Calif.) notched 26 defensive digs.
Seattle University scored the first three points of the match, thanks in part to a kill by Licano-Sanchez and a service ace by Biette. After South Dakota pulled to within one at 10-9, the Redhawks scored eight of the next nine points to open an eight-point advantage. At set point, South Dakota earned back-to-back blocks to extend the set, but Dill's kill gave SeattleU the 1-0 lead.
In the second set, SeattleU scored six unanswered points to earn a 10-6 lead, but the Coyotes would go on a 10-3 run later in the set to pull ahead, 21-19. Back-to-back kills by Dill and Richards pulled the Redhawks into a 21-21 tie, and another Dill kill followed by two more from Richards gave SeattleU the second set and a 2-0 match lead.
South Dakota (4-10) dominated the third set, first earning back-to-back blocks and then using three service aces from Jillian Fields to open an 11-3 advantage. The Coyotes continues to control the action, scoring four unanswered points later in the set thanks to a kill and a block assist each from Jenna Hatfield and Kimberlee Bulaga. The home team finished off the third set on a 5-1 run, scoring the final two points on kills by Hatfield and Kristin Kritenbrink.
Down 5-3 in the fourth set, South Dakota scored seven of the next eight points to jump on top, 10-6. The Coyotes continued to pressure the SeattleU defense, scoring four unanswered points and three straight points later in the set. Hatfield's kill finished off the fourth set in the home team's favor and forced the deciding fifth set.
The Coyotes were led by Hatfield's 17 kills and five total blocks, while Tahnee Reed contributed 11 kills during the match. Kritenbrink collected nine kills and 18 digs, setter Gina Baldwin notched 41 assists along with nine digs and three total blocks, and Fields finished the night with 20 defensive digs along with the three third-set aces.
Seattle University (4-12) heads to Grand Forks, N.D., for the rematch with North Dakota Saturday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m. local time. The next home match for SeattleU is Thursday, Oct. 1, against Trinity Western starting at 7 p.m. at the Connolly Center.