SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University volleyball team hosts No. 12 Regis University and Chadron State College for a rematch on Friday, November 3 and Saturday, November 4, with first serve set for 7 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., respectively.
Regis enters the weekend as the owner of the top spot in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, with a 14-1 RMAC record and a 22-3 overall record. The Rangers have clinched a spot in the RMAC Tournament.
Caitlin Burroway has notched 269 kills with a 2.96 kill per set average. Burroway has played in all 25 of the Rangers matches. Alongside Burroway, Silvia Basso ranks second in the conference with 1007 assists, but ranks fourth with an 11.07 assist per set average.
On defense, Kristina Schell leads Regis with 339 digs and a 3.73 dig per set average. Schell has also tallied 24 service aces to lead the team. Nikki Kennedy works alongside Schell with 120 blocks, 23 of them solo. Kennedy leads the conference with blocks, ahead of teammate Kristen Hornung, who has 112. Kennedy has earned RMAC Player of the Week honors three times, while Hornung earned RMAC Player of the Week honors twice.
Last time out, the Rangers swept the Yellow Jackets, 3-0, by scores of 25-15, 25-13, and 25-16. Kelsey Green had led the way with ten kills followed by Kennedy and Hornung, with nine each. Basso notched 35 assists. Schell grabbed 18 digs, while Hornung blocked four shots.
Chadron State comes to the Young Center with a 5-9 record in conference action, and an 8-15 overall record. The Eagles are sitting on the edge of making postseason, as they are in ninth right behind Black Hills State.
Gaby Varela leads the offense with 213 kills and a 3.49 kill per set average. Madison Webb is right beside Varela, with 692 assists and an 8.34 per set average.
Emily Bruce has registered 354 digs to lead the Eagle defense. Bruce averages 4.27 digs per set. Alongside Bruce, McKenna Hartigan has registered 50 blocks, with a 0.62 block per set average.
The Eagles defeated the Yellow Jackets in four sets, 3-1, in the first meeting earlier this season. Varela led the way with 18 kills and Webb had notched 49 assists. Bruce registered 20 digs, with Hartigan blocking three shots.
Black Hills State enters the weekend 7-7 in conference play and is 10-13 overall. The Yellow Jackets are looking to make postseason for the first time in school history, as they are in eighth place right ahead of Chadron and behind Adams State.
The Yellow Jackets are looking for redemption against Regis and Chadron, as they fell in both matches by scores of 3-0, and 3-1.
On offense,
Ellise Lech leads the way with 225 kills and a 2.42 per set average.
Laurel Lech works alongside her sister with 829 assists and an 8.91 per set average.
Defensively,
Sydney Ederhoff has notched 418 digs with a 4.49 per set average.
Cheyenne Palu helps on defense with 114 blocks, 12 of them solo. Palu averages 1.23 blocks per set and ranks third in the conference behind Regis' Hornung.
Following the weekend, the Green and Gold will have two matches left in the regular season before postseason play. The Yellow Jackets will host South Dakota Mines on Tuesday, November 7, and then travel to Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Friday, November 10, to face the University of Colorado Colorado Springs for a second time. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. both days.
