The Black Hills State University Women's Volleyball team fell to Chadron in five sets in their first match-up of the day on Saturday February 13^th.
 
The Yellow Jackets had a slow start to set one falling behind by as much as seven points before going on a 11-5 scoring run to tie the game at 17. After tying the game, the Jackets would hit a rut allowing the Eagles to score five unanswered points. These points would prove to be too much for the team to overcome as the Yellow Jackets would drop set one 21-25.
 
Kindra Cerrone and Sierra Ward would be the rally leaders in set two recording five kills apiece. The set would begin with the Jackets and Eagles trading points until the Jackets would start heating up going on a 7-4 scoring run. Karly Marx and Ward would close out the set with Marx recording three services resulting in Yellow Jacket points before Ward would seal the game on kill courtesy of a dig by Marx.
 
The third set would begin with the Jackets and Eagles trading points until the teams were tied at eight each. The Jackets would then go on a run scoring five unanswered points. The Eagles would answer with four points of their own to keep the game close. The two teams would continue trading off scoring runs until the Jackets were able to score two unanswered points to seal the game at 25-22.
 
In the fourth set both teams would come out strong keeping the game close until both teams were tied at nine. The Eagles would then put together multiple scoring runs outscoring the Yellow Jackets 16-5. This would set up a fifth set to decide the match.
 
Both teams came to win in the fifth set. The Eagles would get on the board first before the Jackets would answer with three points of their own to set the tone of the match up. Neither team would lead by more than four points throughout the set with the Jackets holding a three-point lead three times throughout the match and a four-point lead once. The Jackets would tie the game up at 14 all before battling it out for the victory needing two points to win. The lead would change three times after that point before the Eagles would score two in a row to record the 19-17 victory over the Jackets.
 
Leading the way offensively for the Jackets were Kindra Cerrone, Sierra Ward, and Mariah Robinson who each recorded kills in the double digits with 16, 14, and 13, respectively. Haedyn Rhoades led the team in digs recording 29 with Cerrone close behind with 25 of her own. Four Jackets recorded aces in the contest with Karly Marx, Rhoades, and Cerrone each recording one while Emma Desanti had two of her own. Defensively the Jackets were led in the front by Desanti, Robinson, and freshman Phoenix Wilke who put up a tough front with Desanti and Wilke each recording solo blocks and as a trio they recorded 10 block assists.
 
Next the Yellow Jackets were able to secure a victory over the Eagles in five sets in their second match-up of the day.
 
The Jackets came out full speed in the second match of the day recording 12 kills as a team and four aces in the first set. The Jackets and Eagles played an evenly matched first half of play before the Yellow Jackets broke the scoring open outscoring the Eagles 16-8 to close out the match. This scoring run would allow the Jackets to record the set win 25-15.
 
The second set started out close with the Jackets going up two before the Eagles hit their stride. The two teams would be tied six times before the Eagles would lock it down on offense. Tied at 10 all the Eagles would put together a handful of scoring runs and outscore the Jackets 15-7 to take the 25-17 set victory.
 
The third set would again prove the two teams to be evenly matched with the Jackets and the Eagles again trading points throughout the first half of play. With the teams tied at 10 apiece the Jackets would put together a handful of short scoring runs to take a four-point lead over the Eagles at 21-17. This lead would prove to be too much for the Eagles to overcome and the Jackets would pull ahead 2-1 after the 25-20 victory.
 
The Yellow Jackets and Eagles would remain evenly matched in the fourth set until both teams had 14 points. With the teams tied yet again, the Eagles would put four points up in a row behind the serving of Rylee Greiman. This would put the Yellow Jackets in comeback mode trying to score 11 points before the Eagles could score seven. Ultimately the Jackets would be unable to overcome the deficit setting the scene for a fifth and final set of the day.
 
In the fifth set the Jackets would come out firing on all cylinders to avoid falling behind going up 2-0 to start the set. The Jackets would hold onto this lead throughout the set leading by as many as four points in the set and being tied twice but never falling behind. Solid serving by Desanti would put the set and match away 15-11.
 
Leading the way offensively for the Jackets for the second set were Kindra Cerrone and Sierra Ward who each recorded kills in the double digits with 16 and 14, respectively. Haedyn Rhoades led the team in digs recording 35 with Cerrone  recording 19 of her own. Three Jackets recorded aces in the contest with Katie Welniak recording one while Rhoades and Emma Desanti each recorded three. Defensively the Jackets were led in the front by Desanti, Robinson, Ward, and Phoenix Wilke who put up a tough front with Desanti and Wilke each recording solo blocks and as a foursome they recorded 17 block assists.
 
Up Next
The Jackets will be at home again next weekend February 20^th for two home matches. One against UCCS and one against Colorado Mines.