Black Hills State volleyball fell short in an electric and highly competitive five-set contest to South Dakota Mines with a final score of 3-2.
 
Two sets were decided in extra serves, with both teams scoring a combined 56 points in the second set and 52 in the fourth.
 
Madison Hoopman notched 19 kills, a service ace, 19 digs, and a block in tonight's game.

Mariah Robinson also had a solid performance versus the Hardrockers, recording 15 kills, a pair of digs, and three blocked shots.

Haedyn Rhoades notched on five assists and 28 digs.
 
Set One (W, 25-17): After both teams opened the first set with traded scores, Robinson put the Yellow Jackets up to a 5-3 lead over the Hardrockers after orchestrating a three-score run. Robinson would score another three for Black Hills State off two kills and a setting error on South Dakota Mines. Black Hills State continued to capitalize on multiple Hardrocker attacking errors and kill opportunities to maintain the lead throughout the entire set. Down 23-15, the Hardrockers recorded three scores in a row, but a Hardrocker attack error would allow for Kindra Cerrone  to put the Hardrockers away, and set one would go to a dominate Yellow Jacket offensive effort.   
 
Set Two (L, 29-27): Black Hills State scored the first point of set two on a Casey Widdoss kill, with the Yellow Jackets going to work to expand to a 9-5 lead over South Dakota Mines; however, the Hardrockers began to show life on offense and responded with a five-score series to take a 10-9 lead. Both teams traded scores coming down to the wire, with 14-tying scores and seven lead changes seen throughout this set, and the game would go to extra services after a 24-all tie. The Yellow Jackets would have two opportunities to take the set, but the Hardrockers would hang on to take the set. 
 
Set Three (L, 25-19):  Both teams would remain chasing the other's heels in set number three, but the Hardrockers took a 12-10 lead over the Yellow Jackets and maintained distance throughout much of the set. Despite a Yellow Jacket push that would see a four-score run to bring the game within two, the Hardrockers responded immediately with four points of their own to bring set three to a close.
 
Set Four (W, 27-25): Riding on the momentum of set three, the Hardrockers came out hot in the fourth set, trying to put the Yellow Jackets away early with a quickly acquired 8-3 lead. The Yellow Jackets would dig deep and tie at 10-all after two Cerrone kills brought Black Hills State back into competition. South Dakota Mines tried to create separation from the Yellow Jackets, but both teams would rumble their way into a 20-all tie,.The Yellow Jackets remained tough, pushing the game to go into extra serves. The Yellow Jackets prevailed and forced a fifth set after securing the narrow two-point victory.
 
Set Five (L, 15-10): The Hardrockers jumped ahead early, taking an 8-2 lead after going on a pair of scoring series to start the set. Capitalizing on a service error, Black Hills State scored four points in a row which led to a narrow 9-7 gap in favor of the Hardrockers. South Dakota Mines got hot on offense and scored four more to lead 13-7, and despite a hard fight from the Yellow Jackets to catch up, South Dakota Mines took the fifth set to cap off an outstanding game from both teams. 
 
Up Next: The Yellow Jackets will hit the road for a Saturday, Sept. 10 showdown against CSU-Pueblo, scheduled to start at 2 p.m.