SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University volleyball team falls in a five set thriller to Western State Mountaineers 3-2.

Western took sets one, four and five while the Yellow Jackets took sets two and three. The sets went as follows: 25-23, 25-15, 25-22, 25-22, and 15-11.

In set one, the two teams traded off points until 18-all when the Yellow Jackets went up by two with a kill by Ellise Lech and an attack error by the Mountaineers. Western was able to tie it back up at 21-all to finish the set out at 25-23 and taking a 1-0 lead in the match.

In set two, Black Hills State took a quick 5-0 lead with Laurel Lech serving for four of the points with the first point came from a service error by Western. Two points came from attack errors by the Mountaineers with blocks by Cheyenne Palu and Lech on both and a kill by Brynn Eckhardt and one service ace by Lech.

The Yellow Jackets scored four straight points at 14-11 to increase the lead by seven at 18-11. Western made an attack error to give BHSU the ball. Sydney Ederhoff served for the other three points getting kills by Lech andCassidy Steele followed by another attack error by Western. The Yellow Jackets finished the set out at 25-15 to tie the match at 1-1.

Black Hills State continued the momentum into set three to keep the lead by five points at 12-7 and 18-13. Eckhardt served for four points at 18-13 with two points given up by Western by errors and a kill by Steele to then lose a point to the Mountaineers with a kill by Avery Burkholder. WSU came within two points but were not able to surpass the Yellow Jackets as they closed the set at 25-22 and take a 2-1 lead in the match.

In set four, the Yellow Jackets trailed by seven points at 18-11 to rally their way back and tie it at 19-all. Eckhardt served for five points to bring the Green and Gold within three at 19-16 with a kill by Danielle Torpey and then three errors by Western. Black Hills State brought it within one at 23-22 but it was not enough to overcome the Mountaineers as they fell 25-22 for Western to tie the match at 2-2.

In the final set, the teams traded off points for the first few points to 3-3 but the Mountaineers were able to take the lead and keep it to close the set at 15-11 and win the match 3-2.

Eckhardt registered her seventh triple-double on the season with 24 assists, 17 digs and 15 kills. Joining Eckhardt, Steele recorded 13 kills and a .179 hitting percentage for the Yellow Jackets while Ellise Lech was right behind with nine kills of her own and Torpey with seven.

On defense, Lacy Stevens registered 33 digs while Ederhoff had 14. Cheyenne Palu worked alongside Stevens and tallied nine blocks with Eckhardt and Ward having five blocks each.

"We had another level and consistent match, and we did some good things offensively," said head coach Kristin Carmichael.

"Late in the match we strayed away from the game plan and lost focus on the little things. Overall, a great weekend and we are excited about the direction this team is going."

The Yellow Jackets fall to 5-14 on the season and 3-8 in conference play while Western improves to 10-9 overall and 6-5 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Black Hills State closes out the month and begins November out on the road starting at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs on Friday, October 28 and MSU-Denver on Saturday, October 29. First serve on Friday is at 7 p.m. followed by 5 p.m. on Saturday.