Black Hills State University Athletics

LAKEWOOD, Colo.- The Black Hills State Yellow Jackets are above .500 through 11 games this season for the first time since joining D2 after the Green and Gold took down the Colorado Christian Cougars in Lakewood for the first time since joining the RMAC. The four-set match started off with an incredible first set, but after BHSU took it, they were able to win the second and fourth sets to pull off the upset victory. It is the second win in the past three games for BHSU versus teams that were projected to finish in the top half of the RMAC in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.

QUICK DETAILS
Score: Black Hills State 3, Colorado Christian 1
Team Records: Black Hills State (6-5 (2-1 RMAC)), Western Colorado (5-4 (2-1 RMAC))
Attendance: 150
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• CCU got themselves an early four-point lead after taking ten of the first 16 points to take an early 10-6 lead as reigning setter of the week, Krista Traynor, had four kills in the first stretch. A kill by Izzy Saiki got BHSU within two before CCU won back-to-back points to keep the lead at four. The Green and Gold turned in a 10-5 run that included Zoie Husman having three kills and a block, which gave BHSU an 18-17 lead. The Cougars took three of the next four points before two kills from Izabel Abril got them a two-point lead at 22-20. Back-to-back blocks tied the game up at 22 and from that point on it was back-and-forth as no team was able to win it at 25. BHSU had set point at 26-25, but CCU got a kill and a block to go up 27-26 before Saiki and Abril combined for three kills in a row to give BHSU the 29-27 win.
• Each team started the second set with a 4-1 run that allowed the match to be tied at 5-5. CCU then got two points in a row to take a 7-5 lead, before BHSU turned on the jets and went on a massive 16-7 run. This major run included two blocks and two kills from Abril and two aces and a kill from Saiki to put BHSU up 21-14. Now, CCU fought back and was able to go on a 7-3 run to make it 24-21, but a kill by Saiki ended the set and gave BHSU a 2-0 advantage in the match.
• The third set started out pretty close as BHSU was able to fight back from an early 4-1 deficit thanks to five kills from five different players to put BHSU only down one, but CCU proved why they were projected high in RMAC Preseason Poll as they rattled off 15 of the next 21 points to take a gigantic 24-14 lead. BHSU was able to get a couple points in a row to make in 24-16, but a kill by a red hot Sierra Crist gave CCU the third set at 25-16 to make it 2-1.
• The Yellow Jackets held a slim 4-3 lead early in the fourth set, before BHSU decided to go on a massive 12-4 run that allowed the Green and Gold to break it open at 16-7. Saiki had two kills and two more aces in that stretch to help BHSU build their lead. The Cougars got back-to-back points to make it 16-9 before BHSU went on a 7-4 run with two more kills from Saiki to build up a 23-13 lead. Christian was able to get a few more points, but a service error gave BHSU the 25-16 win in set four and the massive 3-1 match win.

 
BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Emma Kruger: 30 assists and 22 digs
Izzy Saiki: 18 kills, 5 aces, 15 digs
 Izabel Abril: 14 kills, 4 blocks
Zoie Husman: 12 kills, 2 blocks
 
UP NEXT
BHSU will finish up their first road trip tomorrow as they will face CSU Pueblo, who fell in five sets to South Dakota Mines tonight. The Yellow Jackets will look to remain above .500 and to start RMAC play 3-1 in Pueblo at Massari Arena tomorrow at 5 PM.
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