VERMILLION, S.D. – The Milwaukee volleyball team responded to an early deficit but ran into a tough defensive South Dakota team on Friday evening, falling 3-2 to the Coyotes at the South Dakota Classic.
 
"We are battling. We just have to try and figure out how to battle harder in the really tough moments," head coach Susie Johnson said. "South Dakota is a very good team, one of the best and toughest in the Summit League."
 
The Panthers (3-5) led in nearly all key statistical categories including kills (62-53), assists (59-44), and digs (63-49) but South Dakota (3-3) totaled 19 blocks, which contributed to 31 errors for MKE.
 
Despite hitting .314 in the first frame, the Panthers fell 25-21 behind a 17-2-29 (.517) line from South Dakota.
 
Milwaukee reversed the score in the second set to tie the match and quickly jumped ahead 2-1 thanks to a solid offensive showing in the third. The Panthers hit .345 and held the Coyotes to nine kills and seven attack errors.
 
The Panthers looked to be in control of the match, but South Dakota had other ideas as the Coyotes defense stood tall. USD totaled nine blocks in the fourth as MKE racked up 13 attack errors, leading to a deciding fifth frame.
 
Milwaukee and South Dakota battled to six tie scores and four lead changes in the fifth, but it was the Coyotes who got the final say. A kill from Carmen Heilemann had MKE on top 11-10 but USD responded with four straight points for a 14-12 advantage. Ari Miller put away a kill but the Coyotes completed the comeback with a kill from Sami Slaughter to end it 15-12.
 
"We have to figure out how to fight through the offense and continue to do the offense we are really good at," Johnson continued. "We had too many highs and lows with our offense. It is good when it is on, we just have to trust it."
 
Kleja Cerniauskaite put away 14 kills, a season-high, thanks to a .400 attack percentage.
 
Madi Malone led MKE with 16 kills and added 10 digs for fourth double-double of the season while Kaley Blake notched her second double-double with 22 assists and 11 digs.
 
Jess Grabowski reached 20 digs for the fifth time this year to go with five assists and an ace.
 
The Panthers wrap up the South Dakota Classic tomorrow with a 10:00 am contest against Central Arkansas.
 
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