GUNNISON, Colo. – Needing points to continue to keep their postseason hopes alive, the Black Hills State University women's soccer team secured three key points in the conference standings with a 3-1 victory at Western Colorado on Sunday at the Rady Family Sports Complex. The offensive attack was once again making their presence known in the Yellow Jackets first-ever road win against the Mountaineers and first road victory in RMAC play since September 24, 2021, as BHSU matched the school record for goals in a season (17) and broke the record for points in a season (47).
 
QUICK DETAILS
Score: Black Hills State 3, Western Colorado 1
Team Records: Black Hills State 3-9-4 (3-6-1 RMAC), Western Colorado 4-8-3 (3-4-2 RMAC)
Attendance: 93
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Black Hills State was quick to the offensive attack, posting a total of six shot attempts in the first 20 minutes of action, including one shot on target by Katy Vinton as she received a through pass leading her on a breakaway but her shot back across the box was stopped by a diving Aubree Orosco in the sixth minute.
• The Yellow Jackets were the first team to score during the Sunday contest as Anacel Valenzuela-Acosta stole the ball away from a Western Colorado player, setting her up for the breakaway and putting her one-on-one with Orosco before she fired the shot into the top right corner of the goal in the 22^nd minute.
• Despite BHSU continuing to control the action the remainder of the first half, holding a 5-3 advantage in shot attempts, Black Hills State entered the halftime break with the 1-0 advantage.
• Makayla Dannelly and the Yellow Jacket defense fended off a quick Mountaineer attack in the early stages of the second half as she snagged a long shot attempt by Cianna Thomas out of the air in the 46^th minute.
• Following two more shot attempts, which were both off target, WCU eventually found the back of the net in the 61^st minute when Abby Raio found Jordan Welsh inside the box and she proceeded to place the ball inside the right post to make it a 1-1 contest.
• In just the span of four minutes Black Hills State solidified the road victory, starting in the 75^th minute when Valenzuela-Acosta found the back of the net for the second time on the day as she fired a shot from 20-yards out off the left post and into the net after receiving a pass from Katy Vinton. Then in the 78^th minute Vinton was able to corral a throw in from Tea Whitlock off one bounce and fought through a trio of defenders in order to fire a shot into the right side of the net to make it a 3-1 game.
• Dannelly's fifth and final save of the match-up came in the 79^th minute as she picked up a low-bouncing shot by Elliott Dolan from the left side of the box.
• Black Hills State held the advantage in shots (21-14) and shots on goal (9-6), while Western Colorado held the edge in corner kicks (4-3) and saves (6-5). 

BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Anacel Valenzuela-Acosta: 7 shots, 4 shots on goal, 2 goals
Katy Vinton: 4 shots, 3 shots on goal, 1 goal
Makayla Dannelly: 5 saves
 
UP NEXT
Black Hills State will return home for the first of two consecutive matches at the Black Hills Power Sports Complex to close the regular season, beginning with a Friday, November 1, match against Westminster in a 6 p.m. kick-off.
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