SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University volleyball team battled with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs for four sets on Friday afternoon, however after winning the first set they were unable to notch another as they fell 3-1 inside A2 Arena. In a tightly contested contest that saw each frame decided by four points or less, the Mountain Lions earned set wins by scores of 22-25, 26-24, 25-22, and 25-21.
 
QUICK DETAILS
Score: Black Hills State 1, UCCS 3
Team Records: Black Hills State 4-5 (0-1 RMAC), UCCS 6-3 (1-0 RMAC)
Attendance: 163
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Black Hills State and UCCS went back-and-forth in the early stages of set one before the Yellow Jackets were the first to land a punch as a kill by Brooke Miller sparked a 7-2 scoring run to take a 17-11 lead midway through the frame. The Mountain Lions, however, had a response as they battled back with a 10-3 run of their own to regain the lead at 21-20. BHSU was able to weather the storm and closed out the opening set with a 5-1 run to earn a 25-22 set one victory. Black Hills State claimed the final two points of the frame with solo blocks by Abigail Renner and Randi Wellhoefer.
• Black Hills State opened the second set with back-to-back service aces by Renner, however UCCS responded with a 7-1 scoring run to take a 7-3 lead. The Mountain Lion run was brought to a halt by a kill from Miller, and the teams proceed to go back-and-forth until the later stages of the frame. BHSU began to chip away at the deficit with a 5-1 run to cut the UCCS lead to one point (19-18) before they again pushed their lead to 23-20. The Mountain Lions looked to be going up 24-20, however a successful Black Hills State challenge reverted the score to 23-21 and gave a kill to Emily Freeland while sparking a 4-0 run that was capped by an ace by Freeland to give the Yellow Jackets set point 24-23. BHSU would be unable to hang on to their momentum as UCCS closed out the set with three consecutive points to win 26-24 and even the match at 1-1.
• Black Hills State jumped out to another great start in set three, taking the first three points as well as grabbing a 5-2 advantage following a Freeland kill. A 4-0 UCCS run gave the Mountain Lions their first lead of the frame before another 5-2 scoring run by the Yellow Jackets, capped by back-to-back Renner kills, regained the lead for the Green & Gold at 10-8. The teams traded runs midway through the frame, starting with a 6-1 UCCS run, followed by a 4-0 BHSU run, and then a 7-2 run for the Mountain Lions secured the lead for good the remainder of the set. A service ace by Sydnie Tuioti-Mariner brough the Yellow Jackets back within one point (23-22) late, however UCCS closed out the frame with a 25-22 victory and took a 2-1 match lead.
• UCCS jumped out to an early 5-3 lead in set four before a 6-2 Black Hills State run gave the Yellow Jackets a two-point advantage (11-9). The Mountain Lions then responded with a 5-0 scoring run to give them a three-point lead, the largest margin the remainder of the frame. BHSU was able to even the set at 19 apiece momentarily, however UCCS secured the win with a 6-2 run to earn a 25-21 victory and clinch the 3-1 match win.
• Black Hills State held the advantage in points (76.0-70.0), blocks (11-5), and assists (50-47), while the teams were even in kills (56-56), aces (9-9), and digs (74-74). 

BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Abigail Renner: 14 kills (.275 attack percentage), 7 digs, 3 aces, 1 block
Brooke Miller: 13 kills (.250 attack percentage), 18 digs, 2 blocks, 1 ace
Emily Freeland: 12 kills (.257 attack percentage), 14 digs, 2 aces, 1 block
Jaeda Davis-Golliher: 10 kills (.529 attack percentage), 2 blocks, 1 dig
Sydnie Tuioti-Mariner: 32 assists, 7 digs, 2 aces, 1 kill
Ellie Thomas: 22 digs, 3 assists
 
UP NEXT
Black Hills State will close out a stretch of six consecutive home matches tomorrow morning when they welcome perennial RMAC and regional contender, (RV) Regis, to A2 Arena. First serve between the Yellow Jackets and Rangers is slated for 11 a.m. to kick-off an action-packed day of Swarm Days activities for BHSU.
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