GUNNISON, Colo. – The Black Hills State University volleyball team was unable to fend off New Mexico Highlands for their second consecutive victory over the Cowgirls as NMHU was able to use a late scoring run in set four and eventually defeated the Yellow Jackets 3-2 in five sets in Paul Wright Gymnasium in RMAC Power Pod play. Led by Carsyn Mettler, the redshirt freshman tallied her first career double-double as she recorded her third game of 15 or more kills this year and notched a career-best 20 digs, while graduate student Abigail Renner secured her second straight double-double and fifth of the season.
 
QUICK DETAILS
Score: Black Hills State 2, New Mexico Highlands 3
Team Records: Black Hills State 5-16 (1-9 RMAC), New Mexico Highlands 5-17 (2-8 RMAC)
Attendance: 42
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• New Mexico Highlands got out to a quick start in set one, taking a 4-1 lead before four unanswered points by Black Hills State gave the Yellow Jackets their first lead (5-4) as Carsyn Mettler sent down her first kill of the match. The Cowgirls responded and regained the lead (11-8) with a 7-3 scoring run before BHSU took control of the frame with a 9-1 run to take a 17-12 advantage with another kill by Mettler. NMHU chipped away by taking four of the next five points to claw within two points (18-16), however another set of four unanswered points by BHSU pushed the lead back to six (22-16) on a kill by Emily Freeland. New Mexico Highlands made one final push with a 5-2 run, but Black Hills State secured the 25-21 set one victory on a kill by Abigail Renner for the 1-0 match lead.
• Following an early 2-1 lead for Black Hills State in set two with kills by Mettler and Freeland, a 5-1 scoring run by New Mexico Highlands provided enough separation to maintain their lead throughout the frame. The Yellow Jackets were able to trim the deficit back to one on six occasions, the last of which was a kill by Renner to make it a 17-16 contest. The Cowgirls responded by posting a 6-0 run to put the frame out of reach as they went on to win set two 25-20 despite a late 4-1 scoring run by BHSU as the match became tied at one apiece.
• The teams traded the first four points of set three before three unanswered for New Mexico Highlands gave them a 5-2 advantage. Shortly afterwards Black Hills State responded with a 5-2 scoring run to even the frame at seven apiece. The Yellow Jackets and Cowgirls went back-and-forth midway through the set prior to 9-2 BHSU run pushing their lead to 21-16 on a kill by Randi Wellhoefer. NMHU made one final push with a 7-3 run to claw back within one point (24-23), but Black Hills State closed out set three with a 25-23 victory on a kill by Renner to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
• New Mexico Highlands began set four with a 4-2 lead prior to Black Hills State evening the score at four apiece after a kill by Renner and a NMHU attack error. The Cowgirls once again secured the lead with a 5-2 run and led by as many as four points (14-10) before the Yellow Jackets went on a 7-2 run to take a 17-16 advantage on a service error. After two consecutive points for the Cowgirls, BHSU used a 4-1 scoring run to take a 21-19 lead as they looked to earn the match victory, but New Mexico Highlands had other ideas with a 6-0 scoring run to steal the 25-21 set four win to force a fifth and final set.
• New Mexico Highlands once again ran out to a quick start in set five, as they held a 6-3 advantage before Mettler stalled the run as Black Hills State took three of the next four points to claw within one point (7-6). The Cowgirls scored two unanswered points to take a 9-6 lead prior to a 4-0 scoring run sparked by a Zoie Husman kill, ended with a kill by Sydnie Tuioti-Mariner giving BHSU a 10-9 lead. NMHU, however, kept their composure and ended the frame on a 6-2 scoring run to earn the 15-12 set five win and a 3-2 match lead.
• New Mexico Highlands held the advantage in points (77.0-70.0), kills (62-60), aces (3-2), and blocks (12-8), while Black Hills State held the edge in assists (55-54) and digs (88-82).

BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Carsyn Mettler: 15 kills (.270 attack percentage), 20 digs, 2 assists, 1 block
Abigail Renner: 14 kills, 18 digs, 2 assists, 1 ace, 2 blocks
Sydnie Tuioti-Mariner: 48 assists, 8 digs, 5 kills, 1 ace, 1 block
Ellie Thomas: 31 digs
Randi Wellhoefer: 7 kills (.222 attack percentage), 5 blocks, 1 assist, 1 dig
 
UP NEXT
Black Hills State closes out the RMAC Power Pod and non-conference play on Saturday, November 2, when they face the hosts of Western Colorado in a 6 p.m. match in Paul Wright Gym in Gunnison, Colorado.
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