SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University volleyball team closed out the 2024 Yellow Jacket Classic with a 3-0 loss to in-state foe, Sioux Falls on Saturday evening inside of A2 Arena. In the match the Yellow Jackets were unable to slow down the red-hot attack of the Cougars as USF hit .500 overall in the match compared to .152 for BHSU.
 
QUICK DETAILS
Score: Black Hills State 0, Sioux Falls 3
Team Records: Black Hills State 4-4, Sioux Falls 5-3
Attendance: 177
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Sioux Falls immediately seized the momentum in the match as they jumped out to an early 11-4 advantage in set one, where three of Black Hills State's first four points came off kills by Brooke Miller. It also happened to be another kill by Miller that momentarily stalled the Cougar rally as the Yellow Jackets went on a 5-2 run to pull within four points (13-9). After USF took four of the next five points, BHSU scored six unanswered to claw back within a point (17-16). The Coo then put together one final scoring run (6-2) to provide enough separation to take set one by a score of 25-21.
• A kill by Jaeda Davis-Golliher gave Black Hills State a spark to open set two as they held a 5-1 advantage following another kill by Emily Freeland. Sioux Falls then used a 6-1 scoring run to take their first lead in the frame, taking a 10-8 advantage before a USF service error and a service ace by Sydnie Tuioti-Mariner evened the set at ten apiece. After that point the Cougars ended the set on a 15-4 scoring run to win 25-14 and take a 2-0 match lead.
• Following a 2-2 tie early in set three, Sioux Falls once again swung the momentum their direction as a 6-0 run broke open an 8-2 advantage. The teams then went back and forth midway through the frame until a stretch of four unanswered points by the Cougars extended their lead to double figures (17-7). A mini 4-2 Yellow Jacket run with kills by Davis-Golliher, Freeland, and Miller briefly trimmed the deficit back down to eight (19-11), however, The Coo ended the set on a 6-2 run in order to win the frame, 25-13, as well as the match, 3-0.
• Sioux Falls held the advantage in five statistical categories, including points (56.0-39.0), kills (53-31), blocks (2-0), assists (48-30), and digs (51-33), while Black Hills State held the edge in aces (8-1).

BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Brooke Miller: 13 kills (.286 attack percentage), 4 digs, 3 aces
Sydnie Tuioti-Mariner: 14 assists, 4 digs, 1 kill, 1 ace
Elena Atkinson: 11 assists
Ellie Thomas: 8 digs, 3 assists, 2 aces
 
UP NEXT
Black Hills State will remain at home for the next match-up as they begin RMAC play against UC-Colorado Springs on Friday, September 20. First serve between the Yellow Jackets and the Mountain Lions is slated for 3 p.m. in A2 Arena inside the Donald E. Young Center.
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