VERMILLION, S.D. – Utah Valley women's volleyball fell 3-0 (21-25, 20-25, 16-25) to South Dakota on Thursday night in the opening match of the South Dakota Classic. UVU (0-4) was led by Evalyn Medaris, who tallied seven kills to set a new career high, along with 15 assists and nine digs in the match. Miley Thunstrom and Olivia Gloeckner each had seven kills in the match. Lauren Medeck led USD (2-2) with a match-high 13 kills on 28 attacks.
The Wolverines jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first set before South Dakota rallied to take a 13-7 advantage. UVU bounced right back with a run of its own to cut the lead to 15-12 after a pair of kills from Gloeckner and one from Chloe Hansen. Defensive pressure at the front of the net helped Utah Valley and allowed the Wolverines to tie the opening frame at 19 after the Coyotes tallied nine attack errors. USD finished the opening set on a 5-1 run to claim the first set.
Gloeckner put UVU in front, 5-4, early in the second set before Medaris later put the Wolverines up 8-7. They looked to put some distance between themselves and the Coyotes after Lani Toutai pushed the ball over the net, where it fell for a kill, her first since 2024 against Cal State Bakersfield. She went on to finish with 21 digs from her libero spot in the UVU lineup. South Dakota tied the set at 12 after a kill from Gabi Zachariasen before going on a pair of short runs to take a 20-14 lead. Thunstrom finished with three kills, including one on a USD set point, but the Coyotes held on for the set.
Thunstrom, Medaris and Bree Carson each had one kill in the third set for Utah Valley, but South Dakota was able to maintain defensive pressure, forcing eight Wolverine attack errors in the set. The Coyotes had four total team blocks and held UVU to a .094 hitting percentage to put them over the top.
UP NEXTThe Wolverines will play Northern Iowa tomorrow, Sept. 4, at 4 p.m. MT. The match can be watched on Midco Sports Plus; a subscription is required. The South Dakota Classic will wrap up on Saturday with a morning match against Air Force.
