Box Score PUEBLO, COLO. – After being down, 2-0, in the match, the Black Hills State University volleyball team defeated Colorado State – Pueblo, 3-2, to complete the first away weekend of conference play. The Yellow Jackets won by scores of, 19-25, 18-25, 25-23, 29-27, and 21-19.
"I am proud of the perseverance the team showed," said head coach
Kristin Carmichael. "They never gave up and we had some players step up big at the right time. I'm very excited to see them use the confidence they gained this weekend to keep moving forward this season."
In the first set, Colorado State – Pueblo jumped out to a 3-0 lead and never let up. The Yellow Jackets trailed, 16-10, before the Thunderwolves went on a 3-0 run to push ahead, 19-10. A kill from
Jadie DeLange and
Laurel Lech kept the Green and Gold alive, but unable to keep the rhythm going as Pueblo took the first set, 25-19.
The Yellow Jackets started off the second set with a kill from
Ellise Lech before going back-and-forth with Pueblo, until the Thunderwolves took a 9-7 lead. Pueblo went on a 9-0 run to move ahead, 16-7, and hold on to its lead. BHSU would fall, 25-18, and trail, 2-0, in the match.
In the third set, the Green and Gold found momentum and went on a 5-0 run to lead the Thunderwolves, 5-3. A service ace from
Carisa Becerra and kill from
Ellise Lech kept the Yellow Jackets' stride. BHSU went on a 3-0 run, leading Pueblo, 19-14. Pueblo went on to shorten the gap, but the Green and Gold would ultimately win the set, 25-23.
The Yellow Jackets found its rhythm again in the fourth set. A kill from DeLange and MaKayla Bell made the game 12-8 in favor of the Green and Gold. After battling to keep a stable lead, a block from DeLange and Bell was the final point of the set to give the Yellow Jackets a 29-27 win to tie the match, 2-2.
Pueblo used a 4-0 run to lead, 8-2, in the fifth set. The Green and Gold went on to tie the set, 12-12, and grasped a lead over the Thunderwolves. BHSU would eventually win the set, 21-19, and the match, 3-2.
DeLange lead the Green and Gold with 16 kills, eight digs, and three blocks. Alongside her was
Ellise Lech with 13 kills.
The Yellow Jackets will be back home to face the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and Colorado School of Mines on Sept. 21 and 22. First serve is set at 7 p.m.
