SPEARFISH, S.D.- For the first time since 2013, BHSU took MSUD to five sets and they also got their first set win versus the Roadrunners since 2016, but MSU Denver was able to take care of business in the fifth set to spoil the Jackets upset bid and keep a hold of a tie for the RMAC first place. BHSU got monster performances from
Izzy Saiki and
Peyton McLeod in the heroic affair as Saiki got a career-high 21 kills.
QUICK DETAILS
Score: Black Hills State 3, #RV MSU Denver 2
Team Records: Black Hills State (6-9 (2-3 RMAC)), #RV MSU Denver (9-6 (4-1 RMAC))
Attendance: 211
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The first set made it look like this one was MSU Denver's for the taking, the Roadrunners got off to a massive 19-5 lead as the Roadrunners had runs of 7-0 and 11-0. BHSU was able to get a few points back at the end, taking seven of 11 with two kills each from Izabel Abril and McLeod, but MSU Denver took the first set 25-12 to take a 1-0 advantage.
- The second set was a lot closer as McLeod had two kills and a block in the early going to help BHSU keep the score close at 9-8. After Brooke Gennerman would have to kills in a row to go up three, BHSU would answer with a 12-4 run with two kills and a block by Saiki to take a 20-15 lead. As BHSU was on the door of getting their first set win versus MSUD since 2016, the Roadrunners won eight of 10 to take a 23-22 lead. A service error by MSUD would tie the game and a block by Mianna Cardenas and McLeod would give BHSU a 24-23 lead. Gennerman got a kill to tie it up but a kill by Saiki and an attack error by MSU Denver would give BHSU the 26-24 win for a major equalizer.
- The third set didn't start close as Saiki had five kills in the first ten points to help BHSU take an 8-2 lead. MSUD immediately answered winning five in a row and six of seven to make it 9-8. The Green and Gold would continue to hold a slight lead as Saiki got two more kills to bring BHSU up to 16-13. Three straight points from MSU Denver would tie it at 16. There was some more back and forth for BHSU to get a slim 20-18 lead before the Roadrunners took seven of the next nine to take the set 25-22 and go up 2-1.
- MSU Denver took three of the first four points of the set and then BHSU took ten of the next 15 with four kills from Carsyn Mettler and two kills from Saiki to take an 11-8 lead. MSUD would tie it up at 14, then again at 15 and 16 before BHSU went on a 9-4 run with four kills by Saiki to make it 25-20 and send it to a fifth set.
- The fifth set was all MSU Denver as they took 15 of the 20 points in the set to avoid the upset and take the match 3-2.
BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Izzy Saiki: 21 kills, 8 digs, 2 blocks
Peyton McLeod: 12 kills, 4 blocks
Carsyn Mettler: 11 kills
Emma Kruger: 23 assists, 10 digs
UP NEXT
The Yellow Jackets will continue their homestand tomorrow afternoon versus the Preseason #1 Team in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, UCCS Mountain Lions. That game will be at 1 PM in A2 Arena.
