WICHITA – Wichita State improved to 3-0 in five-set matches after fending off South Dakota in Friday night's home opener at Charles Koch Arena, 25-18, 22-25, 25-20, 18-25, 15-13.
 
WSU (6-1) also owns five-set wins over Arkansas State (Aug. 28) and Delaware (Sep. 11) this season.
 
Friday night's 2-hour, 33-minute marathon match ultimately came down to a couple of serves.
 
South Dakota (3-4) reeled off five straight points to tie the score at 13 in the fifth set, but the Coyotes' Madison Jurgens launched her last serve into the net to set up match point for the Shockers.  Moments later, Kayce Litzau's ace ended the proceedings.
 
For WSU, Brylee Kelly returned to the lineup after missing last weekend's trip to Lawrence and finished with a team-high 15 kills. Sophia Rohling added 10.
 
Lily Liekweg matched her career-high with 28 digs, and Kayce Litzau handed out 42 assists to go with four block assists.
 
The Shockers hit just .164 but held South Dakota to .143. WSU outdug the Coyotes 87-76.
 
Both sides finished with six aces, but South Dakota committed 16 services errors to WSU's 11.
 
Madison Harms tallied a double-double for South Dakota with 12 kills and 16 digs. Aimee Adams chipped in 11 more kills and 17 digs. Lolo Weidemn supplied 40 digs, and Juhnke handed out 45 assists.
 
The Shocker Volleyball Classic, Presented by Aspen Heights, continues Saturday at Charles Koch Arena. WSU will face Wyoming (10 a.m. CT) and No. 18 Creighton (7 p.m.). Both matches air on ESPN+.
 
South Dakota meets Creighton (Noon CT) and Wyoming (4:30 p.m.) in the other two tournament games.
 
Tickets are available online at goshockers.com/tickets or by phone at 316-978-FANS.
 

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FIRST SET: WSU, 25-18
Seven different Shockers recorded a kill, and the hosts held South Dakota to an .056 hitting percentage. WSU built leads of 5-1, 14-6 and 20-9 before the Coyotes mounted a late charge to narrow the score.
 
SECOND SET: SD, 25-22
WSU controlled the second set at 14-10 but fell victim to a 7-1 Coyote run. The Shockers hit .312 (their best percentage of the match), helped by Natalie Foster's five kills on six swings, but hurt themselves with six service errors.
 
THIRD SET: WSU, 25-20
The Shockers used an 8-0 run (helped by a stretch of seven straight Coyote attack errors) to turn a 9-6 deficit into a 14-9 lead and cruised from there.
 
FOURTH SET: SD, 25-18
Tied at 9, South Dakota scored five straight and 10 of the next 12 points to take control. WSU finished with a negative hitting percentage (10-12-40, -.050).
 
FIFTH SET: WSU, 15-13
Knotted at 7, WSU used a 6-1 run create separation. Morgan Stout each Lizau contributed kills. South Dakota rallied back with five-straight points (three of them on Adams kills) to tie the set at 13, but the Shockers held on.