Fairbanks, Alaska. - Black Hills State volleyball dropped their first game of the Denali State Bank Ice Block Classic against the hosting Nanooks with a final score of 3-1. 
 
Madison Hoopman led the offensive effort tonight with 15 kills.
Haedyn Rhoades led the defense with 21 digs.
Karly Marx led the set-up with 27 assists on the night.
 
Set One (L, 25-20): The Yellow Jackets would come out of the gate swinging, taking an early lead at 3-1. The Nanooks would start to get hot, securing key blocks and setting up kills to come back and lead the Yellow Jackets 11-7. Although BHSU would bring themselves within one on three scores, the Nanooks would continue to expand their lead to 21-15. The Yellow Jackets would fight off multiple set-points led by Audrey Brgoch and Kindra Cerrone offense (including a Brgoch serving ace) to slim the Nanook lead to 24-20. The Nanooks would call a momentum-killing timeout and ultimately take the set.
 
Set Two (L, 25-16): UAF would take early 3-1 lead and not let go of it throughout the entirety of set two, continuing to match with the Yellow Jackets until they would hold a 14-7 lead. BHSU would continue to fight their way back into the set and trail only 15-11, but UAF would put their foot on the gas and force a Yellow Jacket timeout at a 22-13 score. Black Hills State would tack on three more before the Nanooks put away set number two, threatening to take the game in three sets.
 
Set Three (W, 25-23): The Yellow Jackets would come alive in set three, starting with another 3-1 lead and would maintain it until the Nanooks brought the third set to a 6-6 tie. The Yellow Jackets would continue to hold them off as each team would continue to alternate scores until a lead change would see the Nanooks go up 11-10. BHSU and UAF would continue to go toe-to-toe in what would be a great third set of volleyball. The grit displayed by the Yellow Jackets would pay off as the Yellow Jackets would force set four after a competitive 25-23 win.
 
Set Four (L, 25-15): Set four would pit both teams in a showcase of "top-that" heading into a 6-6 scoreboard until the Nanooks would go on a seven-score run to take a 13-6 lead. The Yellow Jackets would attempt to lock the game back up, bringing themselves within three at a 15-12 Nanook lead, but UAF would tack on four more consecutive points and hold the Yellow Jackets at bay to take set number four, forcing a 3-1 Yellow Jacket loss.
 
Up Next: The Yellow Jackets return to the court for two more on Friday, starting in the morning to take on Arkansas-Fort Smith at 11:30 a.m. MT, then going on to compete against Alaska-Anchorage at 7 p.m. MT.
 
-BHSUAthletics.com-