Volleyball Falls For First Time in 4-Set Loss at South Dakota

VERMILLION, S.D. – The spectacular undefeated begin to the 2025 marketing campaign got here to an finish on Thursday evening for Villanova volleyball, falling in 4 units (19-25, 19-25, 25-22, 23-25) at South Dakota to kick off a three-day keep within the Mount Rushmore State.

A trio of gamers completed in double digits for Villanova (8-1), together with a season-best 13 kills by Taylor Lewis along with 12 terminations every from Campbell McKinnon and Abby Harrell whereas the ‘Cats tallied a season-high with 71 digs.

Alyssa Nelson contributed her sixth straight double-double on crew bests in assists (26) and digs (18) whereas Marly Smith added a season-high two kills and Mina Diggs noticed her first profession taking part in time within the libero jersey with three digs and an ace.

“I’m really happy with how we fought tonight,” head coach Josh Steinbach stated. “South Dakota is a really good team and played a fantastic match. We had some things exposed tonight that I think we needed to see and that will make us better.”

Despite the loss, it is nonetheless the second greatest begin in Wildcat volleyball historical past and the best opening to a marketing campaign in 20 years (10-0 in 2005). 

The host Coyotes bought out to a scorching begin within the first, opening up leads of 7-2 and 11-3 to seize management. The Wildcats strung collectively some factors of their very own to attract nearer, however USD bought the required scores to win the opener 25-19.

South Dakota jumped out to a different early edge within the second and expanded the result in 10 earlier than the ‘Cats bought their footing and battled again, although in the end falling 25-19 to go down two units to none. 

It was Villanova who started the third on the fitting foot with a 5-0 stretch to kick it off and later advancing it to a lead of seven. The residence facet wasn’t performed but as USD introduced it again inside one, however VU strung sufficient factors collectively to win 25-22 and pull a set again.

The fourth body was the one one of many day that featured greater than two ties because the squads have been deadlocked 13 totally different occasions all through the interval, for the final time at 23-all. South Dakota managed to grab the ultimate two factors of the match, successful the outing in 4 units.

UP NEXT: Two extra matches await the Wildcats on the Sanford Coyote Sports Center, starting with a Friday late afternoon bout towards the Drake Bulldogs.