SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University volleyball team lost a five-set heartbreaker to Chadron State College, 3-2, on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles (11-5, 5-3 RMAC) won the first two sets, 25-23 and 25-19, before the Yellow Jackets (7-10, 5-4) came back to win set three (25-22) and set four (25-18). In the decisive fifth set, CSC won, 15-11.

The Eagles came into the Young Center on the front foot, taking an early 5-1 lead. However, the Yellow Jackets slowly clawed back into the set, eventually tying it up, 22-22, on a kill by Sierra Ward. However, Chadron State would hold on to win, 25-23.

The two teams traded sideouts to begin the second set, but with the score tied, 12-12, the Eagles rattled off four consecutive points to gain traction, and would eventually take the set, 25-19.

The third set was back-and-forth. At one point, CSC led, 19-15, however, four consecutive kills tied it up, before a Peyton Bodemann ace gave BHSU a 20-19 lead. The home team would win the set, 25-22, to push the game to a fourth set.

The Yellow Jackets kept the momentum in set four, taking a 6-5 lead on a Madee Hoopman kill and never looking back. The Green and Gold would win the set, 25-18, taking the match to a winner take all fifth.

With the score tied, 5-5, two kills by Laurel Lech helped push the Yellow Jacket's lead to three points, but the Eagles would respond with a 7-0 run to regain a lead, 12-8, and the visitors would go on to take the set, 15-11, and the match, 3-2.

Laurel Lech had her second career triple-double, tallying 36 assists, 19 digs, and 14 kills. She also added four blocks. Ward had a match high 20 kills, while Mariah Robinson had 18 and Hoopman had 10. Tess Thomas chipped in 27 assists, while Haedyn Rhoades recorded 38 assists.

Next Up

The Yellow Jackets will head back on the road next weekend to take on Colorado Mesa and Western Colorado. The match against the Mavericks will be at 7 p.m. on October 18.

###

Black Hills State is located in the Northern Black Hills of South Dakota, sponsoring 13 NCAA sports with membership in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the NCAA emerging sport of women's triathlon and NIRA rodeo. For all information regarding Yellow Jacket Athletics, please visit BHSUAthletics.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @BHSUAthletics.

---BHSUAthletics.com---