SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University volleyball team opens Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play this weekend, playing Dixie State University and Westminster College. The Yellow Jackets take on the Trailblazers September 20, before wrapping up their 10-match road trip at Westminster September 21.

Scouting the Trailblazers (5-3)

Dixie State University, located in St. George, Utah, is in its final year as a member of Division II. The Trailblazers opened the season 1-3, but swept their four matches at the Chap Classic to get to a 5-3 record. They are hitting .227 as a team this season, averaging 13.1 kills per set. They also tally 2.2 blocks per set defensively which is the best in the RMAC.

Megan Treanor leads DSU with 79 total skills, hitting .232. She also is second on the squad in assists (125), digs (65), and blocks (25). Jordyn Nelson has tallied 157 assists to lead the Trailblazers, while Mykenna Nelson has 141 digs to lead the team. Her 5.04 digs per set is four in the league.

Scouting the Griffins (2-5)

Westminster College is located in Salt Lake City, Utah. The team rattled off two consecutive victories after a loss in the first match of the season, but the Griffins has lost four straight entering RMAC play. Most recently, they fell to St. Edward's, 3-1. WC is hitting .162 as a team, putting down 10.2 kills per set.

Audrey Green leads the Griffins with 70 total kills and 3.04 kills per set. She is also second on the squad with 8.0 total blocks. Setter Aggie Roese-Olsen averages 4.65 assists per set, good for 107 total. Hannah Stearman leads defensively, tallying 98 total digs (4.45 per set).

Scouting the Yellow Jackets (2-6)

Black Hills State most recently played in the Chap Classic, dropping four matches. Most recently, the Yellow Jackets fell, 3-1, to Southwestern Oklahoma State University. As a team, BHSU is hitting .131, recording 11.2 kills per set.

Madee Hoopman leads the squad in kills, totaling 81 and 2.7 per set. Meanwhile, Laurel Lech has 161 assists, and Tess Thomas has 95. Defensively, Haedyn Rhoades has 138 digs and Peyton Bodemann has 23 blocks.  

Next Up

Following this weekend's matches, the Yellow Jackets will finally play at home, hosting CSU-Pueblo and New Mexico Highlands on September 27-28.

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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---