SPEARFISH, S.D.- The Black Hills State Yellow Jackets, for the first time since 2022, have won more than one RMAC game in a season and swept an RMAC opponent. The Jackets defeated the Chadron State Eagles 3-0 in dominant fashion as the Green and Gold had the most blocks in a game so far this season. BHSU is now 2-0 this season and in large part due to the performance of
Ellie Thomas, who had 26 digs, and Izzy Abril and
Peyton McLeod, who had seven and six blocks.
QUICK DETAIL
Score: Black Hills State 3, New Mexico Highlands 0
Team Records: Black Hills State (6-13 (2-7 RMAC)), Chadron State (4-15 (1-8 RMAC))
Attendance: 287
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Yellow Jackets got off strong in the first set with a 7-2 lead early. Randi Wellhoefer had four kills, and Izzy Abril had two blocks in the early going. Chadron closed the gap with a 4-1 run to make it 8-6 before Carsyn Mettler and McLeod got the lead back to four with three kills and a block. Neither team went on a run until BHSU held a 17-13 lead. Chadron went on an 8-2 run to take a 21-19 lead and put BHSU on the ropes early. The Yellow Jackets won three in a row to take a 22-21 lead back that included a block and a kill by Jaeda Davis-Golliher. Chadron tied it at 22-22 before BH got a kill by Wellhoefer and back-to-back blocks by McLeod and Abril to win the first set 25-22.
- The second set started with each team winning eight of the first 16 points and neither team went on a run to make it 8-8. BHSU broke it open with a 6-0 run that included four Eagles attack errors, which gave them a 14-8 lead. Chadron went on a 7-3 run to close the gap to 17-15. However, Emily Freeland ended that run with a solo 5-1 run that included four kills and a block by the senior attacker. After Chadron went on a 3-1 run, Randi Wellhoefer got a kill and McLeod and Abril got another block to end the set at 25-19.
- Chadron was the one who started off the third set strong taking a 6-4 lead. Zoie Husman got an ace to tie it at six, before Chadron won three in a row to make it 9-6. The Green and Gold closed the gap with three of four points to make it 10-9 and made it 11-10 before Chadron won three in a row again to make it 14-10. The Yellow Jackets finally caught stride winning nine of 12 points to take a 19-17 lead. Chadron got two blocks in a row to tie it at 19-19 before the Yellow Jackets got back-to-back kills by Freeland in a 4-1 run 23-20. CSC got a kill before Davis-Golliher and Wellhoefer each got a kill to win the match 25-21 and taking the 3-0 win.
BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Ellie Thomas: 26 digs, 4 assists
Elena Atkinson: 23 assists, 8 digs
Randi Wellhoefer: 15 kills, .286 hitting percentage
Izzy Abril: 7 blocks, 3 kills
Peyton McLeod: 6 blocks, 3 digs, 2 kills
UP NEXT
Black Hills State will now head on the road to face Regis on Saturday with a chance to get a second straight RMAC win.
