SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University volleyball team prepares for their home opener to kick off conference play against Westminster College and Dixie State University on September 7 and 8 at the Donald E. Young Center.  First serve is set at 7 p.m. on Friday, and 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.
 
Westminster heads to the Black Hills with a 2-6 overall record, and currently sits 13^th in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings.  The Griffins are coming off a 1-3 loss to Minnesota State – Mankato, at the Westminster Invitation held in Utah.
 
Leading the offense for the Griffins is sophomore Audrey Green with 111 kills, averaging 3.83 kills per set.  Green has played in all 29 sets as a starter for Westminster.  She also is second in the RMAC in kills.  Alongside Green on offense is junior setter Aggie Roese-Olson with 212 assists.  Roese-Olson averages 7.57 assists per set.
 
On defense, junior libero Hannah Stearman has 116 digs early this season, with 4.0 digs per set. 
 
Sydney Simmons holds her own on defense with 28 blocks, three of them solo.  The junior averages .97 blocks per set.  Simmons is also second on the team in kills, with 43.
 
Dixie State comes to Spearfish with a 5-2 record after its 1-3 loss against the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, for its second loss of the season.  As of now, the Trailblazers are seated second in the RMAC standings.
 
On offense, sophomore Megan Treanor leads the team with 85 kills on the season, averaging 3.04 kills per set.  Jordyn Nelson leads the offense with 159 assists.  The sophomore averages 5.68 assists per set.
 
Upholding the Trailblazer defense is senior libero Sid Brandon with 110 digs on the season.  Brandon averages 3.93 digs per set. 
 
Lauren Gamell has totaled 38 blocks to lead the Dixie State defense, three of them solo.  Gammell leads the conference in blocks, averaging 1.36 per set.
 
Black Hills State enters the weekend with a 3-4 overall record after going 2-1 at the Augustana Invitational. 
 
Freshman Jadie DeLange leads the way with 59 kills for the Yellow Jackets.  The Colorado native averages 2.46 kills per set, ahead of teammate Madison Hoopman with 51 kills.  Laurel Lech works alongside DeLange and Hoopman with 200 assists.  Lech is seventh in the RMAC, averaging 8.33 assists per set. 
 
Defensively, redshirt junior Jessy Hibl has tallied 72 digs for the Green and Gold, averaging 3.00 digs per set.  Lech follows Hibl with 65 digs on the season.  Sierra Stugelmeyer and Carisa Becerra protect the net, each totaling 22.0 blocks with two solo.
 
The Yellow Jackets follow the weekend by traveling south to play New Mexico Highlands and Colorado State – Pueblo on Friday, Sept. 14 and Saturday, Sept. 15.  First serve is set at 7 p.m. for both nights.