SPEARFISH, S.D.—Much needed confidence was on display for the Black Hills State University volleyball team heading into their match against Western New Mexico University (8-3, 4-0 RMAC).  Much of that attributes to their home-opening 3-0 victory over New Mexico Highlands on September 25.

Extending their winning streak wasn't going to be an easy task for the Yellow jackets as the Mustangs entered the game with a four-game winning streak that includes victories over CSU-Pueblo, Western State, New Mexico Highlands and South Dakota Mines.

The Yellow Jackets added themselves to the list with a 3-1 loss to Western New Mexico on Saturday afternoon.

BHSU falls to 4-8, 1-3 RMAC.

Yellow Jackets 3, Western New Mexico 1

The Mustangs took it to BHSU from the opening stages of set one as they jumped to a 4-0 lead thanks to three Yellow Jacket attack errors. 

BHSU couldn't grab control of the lead throughout set one. A combination of errors and bad sets throughout the closing stages of set one sealed the Yellow jackets' fate. Back-to-back BHSU errors to end the match sealed their fate in a 25-16 set-one loss.

The wheel turned in favor of BHSU in set two as three Danielle Torpey kills propelled them to a 5-1 lead.  However, the Mustangs made things interesting. With WNMU down 12-10, Melanie Hughes registered back-to-back service aces to tie the Yellow Jackets 12-12. 

After a WNMU service error made it 13-12 in favor of BHSU, kills from Shannon Rich and Leeta Grap gave the Mustangs their first lead of set two at 14-13.  The Mustangs eventually pushed their lead to 17-14 before BHSU came back. Two Cassidy Steele kills followed by a Torpey kill gave the Yellow Jackets an 18-17 lead.

BHSU and Western New Mexico traded leads six times to make the score 24-24.  It was the Yellow Jackets who capitalized on a Mustang attack error, and a Brynn Eckhardt service ace to secure a 26-24 set-two win. 

Set three proved to be the same, but a bad set followed by an attack error on behalf of BHSU sealed a 26-24 set-three win for the Mustangs.

The Yellow Jackets couldn't rebound from a 12-4 Mustang lead in set-four as they fell 25-14.

Torpey led BHSU with 15 kills while Brynn Eckhardt added 34 assists.

The Yellow Jackets will return to action at UCCS on Friday, October 2. Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m.