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Leathernecks Fall to Summit League Leaders

Western Illinois volleyball holds the Coyotes to three close sets.

Box Score VERMILLION, S.D. - Western Illinois volleyball battled the leaders of the Summit League tonight in Vermillion, S.D. as they fell to the South Dakota Coyotes (25-17, 25-17, 25-18).
 
The Leathernecks led the serving efforts tonight in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center with four total aces to the Coyote's three split by Jessie Connell and JoJo Kruize both notching two aces on the night.
 
WIU started strong with a Mackenzie Steckler block kicking off a 3-1 lead. Holding the Coyotes down, the Leathernecks did not give up their lead until 8-7 when South Dakota was able to go on a five-point run. Western slowly notched away at the lead with the help of well-rounded offense out of the hands of Cassie Hunt but, were ultimately stopped after a kill from Kruize and a Coyote run to end the first set.
 
Starting the second the same they did the first Western took a quick 4-1 lead with Kruize scoring three of those first four points. As the Coyotes attempted to gain a dominate lead Madeline Dieter stepped in with three kills to keep WIU within three. Eventually, Western fell in a large hole and the Leathernecks ended the second set the same way they did the first with a late kill from Kruize followed by a Coyote set two victory.
 
With Aubrey Putman and Steckler both starting with kills in the third Western was off to another early lead. After a Coyote push, Dieter and Steckler put WIU within one point. The Leathernecks were able to hold the Coyotes close for most of the night until they pulled away leaving WIU down 20-13. With the match on the line the Leathernecks answered back with a run of their own and ended the night with a close three sets with the Summit League leaders.
 
Kruize led the team with eight kills followed by Dieter with six as she finished the night with a .364 percentage swinging from the right side.
 
The Leathernecks will return to the court Sunday as they take on the Denver Pioneers in the Mile-High City at 1 p.m.
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