SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University volleyball team had the entire A2 Arena crowd rallying behind them on Friday afternoon as they went the distance in both matches, splitting with Eastern New Mexico and Minnesota Crookston. Despite falling to the Greyhounds in their first match-up of the day, the Yellow Jackets continued to battle as a heroic comeback in the nightcap gave the Green & Gold a momentum building win entering the final day of the Yellow Jacket Classic.
 
Leading the BHSU charge in the nightcap was freshman outside hitter, Zoie Husman, who entered the match for the first time in the fifth set as Black Hills State was facing match point and trailing 14-12. While serving the Yellow Jackets forced a pair of Golden Eagle errors and had a major impact on the offensive attack from Abigail Renner who put down the final three kills of the match to secure the comeback.
 
QUICK DETAILS VS. EASTERN NEW MEXICO
Score: Black Hills State 2, Eastern New Mexico 3
Team Records: Black Hills State 3-3, Eastern New Mexico 1-5
Attendance: 213
 
HOW IT HAPPENED VS. EASTERN NEW MEXICO

• Neither team had a lead of more than two points or put together a scoring run of more than three consecutive points until the later stages of the first frame as Eastern New Mexico put together a 5-0 run as they trailed 17-15. In response, Black Hills State answered with a 4-1 run of their own which saw Sydnie Tuioti-Mariner post back-to-back aces to even the first set as 21 apiece. The Greyhounds then returned the favor as they ended the first frame on a 4-2 run.
• After Eastern New Mexico went ahead 5-3 to begin set two, the Yellow Jackets answered with a 7-2 run that was capped by back-to-back kills by Randi Wellhoefer and Jaeda Davis-Golliher to go in front 10-7. ENMU trimmed the deficit back down to one (12-11), however that would be as close as they would get as BHSU went on to end the set on an 8-2 run to even the match at one set apiece.  A kill by Brooke Miller clinched the 25-17 win in the set.
• The Greyhounds rattled off five consecutive points to start set three before a kill by Abigail Renner sparked a run by Black Hills State as a 6-3 rally made it an 8-6 contest. Another 7-3 run by ENMU brought their lead back up to 15-9, however BHSU fought back once again with a 9-2 run of their own to take their very first lead in the set as Wellhoefer put back a block. Eastern New Mexico once again rattled off a stretch of seven unanswered to reach set point, which BHSU fended off four times, before the Greyhounds ultimately won the frame 25-22 to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
• Another tightly contested start to set four saw the teams knotted up at seven apiece before Black Hills State threw the first punch as a kill by Zoie Husman sparked a 7-1 scoring run to take a 14-8 advantage. Eastern New Mexico kept the frame close midway though, getting back within as many as four points on multiple occasions, but another kill from Davis-Golliher sparked a set clinching 9-3 scoring run. The Yellow Jackets clinched set point (25-15) as ENMU recorded back-to-back attacking errors.
• Eastern New Mexico held the early 5-3 advantage in set number five before a kill from Husman and a double-block by Tuioti-Mariner and Wellhoefer knotted the frame up at five points apiece. The Greyhounds went on to earn the set win and the match win behind a 10-5 run. ENMU clinch set point at 15-10.
• Black Hills State held the advantage in five statistical categories, including points (78.0-60.0), kills (63-47), aces (8-3), assists (56-37), and digs (103-102), while Eastern New Mexico held the edge in blocks (10-7). 

BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS VS. EASTERN NEW MEXICO
Abigail Renner: 13 kills, 18 digs
Brooke Miller: 13 kills, 12 digs, 2 aces
Sydnie Tuioti-Mariner: 32 assists, 8 digs, 3 aces, 1 kill, 1 block
Ellie Thomas: 26 digs, 5 aces
 
QUICK DETAILS VS. MINNESOTA CROOKSTON
Score: Black Hills State 3, Minnesota Crookston 2
Team Records: Black Hills State 4-3, Minnesota Crookston 2-4
Attendance: 207
 
HOW IT HAPPENED VS. MINNESOTA CROOKSTON

• Using a .308 attack percentage compared to .000 percent for BHSU, Minnesota Crookson ran away with set number one by a score of 25-13. The Golden Eagles jumped out to an early 9-4 advantage, while the closest Black Hills State was able to fight back and get to being three points at 11-8 following a service error. UMC closed the frame on a 9-1 run in order to clinch the set one win.
• A kill by Emily Freeland and back-to-back kills by Brooke Miller saw Black Hills State jump out to the early 3-0 advantage in set two, but Minnesota Crookston kept it close throughout as the lead changed hands four more times throughout the frame. The Yellow Jackets created some separation midway through the set as they used a 9-3 scoring run to take an 18-12 lead following a block by Miller and Randi Wellhoefer. UMC made one final push with a 10-3 run of their own, putting them back in front 22-21 momentarily, however a kill by Abigail Renner quickly regrouped BHSU as they closed the set by taking six of the final nine points for the 27-25 victory. Additionally, a kill by Renner also secured set point for Black Hills State.
• Another competitive start to set three resulted in separation of no more than two points until a 7-1 run by Minnesota Crookston midway through gave them a 14-8 advantage. Black Hills State was able to take the next two points with a block by Jaeda Davis-Golliher and Freeland, followed by a kill by Miller, however the four point deficit (14-10) was as close as frame would get as the Golden Eagles went on to win 25-18 and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
• An early 4-0 scoring run that was sparked by a Wellhoefer kill gave BHSU their first lead and they would extend the run to 7-1 to lead 9-5. Minnesota Crookston, however, continued to battle back-and-forth as four consecutive points tied the frame at nine apiece before the Yellow Jackets pushed the lead out once again with a 6-2 run for a 15-11 advantage after an Ellie Thomas ace. The momentum looked to be shifting in favor of the Golden Eagles late in the frame as a 10-4 run gave them a 21-19 lead as they looked to close out the match in four sets. BHSU, however, wouldn't go down without a fight as they took the final six points of the set to win 25-21 and send the match to a fifth and final set.
• Minnesota Crookston once again looked to have the momentum on their side as they looked to close out the match as they led 8-6 at the side change and had the opportunity to serve for match point with a 14-11 lead. The momentum started to shift when the Yellow Jackets fended off the first match point opportunity with a kill by Elena Atkinson, followed by freshman Zoie Husman entering to serve. With Husman at the service line, BHSU forced an attack error and a bad set by UMC as the Green & Gold jumped ahead by a score of 15-14. Offensively for Black Hills State, Renner was unable to be stopped by Minnesota Crookston in the final stages of the match as she sent down three kills in the final five points of the frame as the Yellow Jackets came from behind for the 17-15 victory.
• Minnesota Crookston held the advantage in five statistical categories, including points (82.0-72.0), kills (65-60), aces (11-3), assists (60-54), and digs (109-92), while the Black Hills State held the edge in blocks (109-92).

BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS VS. MINNESOTA CROOKSTON
Abigail Renner: 21 kills (.279 attack percentage), 27 digs, 2 assists, 1 ace, 1 block
Brooke Miller: 15 kills, 12 digs, 1 ace, 1 block
Emily Freeland: 10 kills, 15 digs, 4 blocks, 1 assist
Sydnie Tuioti-Mariner: 28 assists, 10 digs
 
UP NEXT
Black Hills State will play their final match-up in the Yellow Jacket Classic on Saturday afternoon when they face in-state foe, Sioux Falls. The match is slated for a 5:30 p.m. first serve in A2 Arena inside the Donald E. Young Center.
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