Black Hills State University Athletics

SPEARFISH, S.D.- Black Hills State was unable to pull out a close matchup versus Chadron State as the Yellow Jackets dominated the first set but lost in three straight close sets to fall 3-1 to the Eagles, who now move above .500. The Green and Gold led in kills, digs, blocks, assists, aces, and hitting percentage, but CSC was able to pull off clutch moments to take down BHSU despite great performances from Elena Atkinson, Carsyn Mettler, and Izzy Saiki.
 
QUICK DETAILS
Score: Black Hills State 1, Chadron State 3
Team Records: Black Hills State (6-7 (2-2 RMAC)), Chadron State (7-6 (1-3 RMAC))
Attendance: 514
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Yellow Jackets started this game exactly how they wanted taking a 10-6 lead. An attack error allowed Chadron to get it within three before BHSU won five points in a row with two kills by Mettler and an ace by Saiki. The Yellow Jackets would then go on a 10-5 run to end the first set with two kills from Abril and a kill and an ace by Husman to win the first set in dominating 25-12 fashion.
• BHSU started the second set amazing too winning 12 of the first 18 points to take a 12-6 lead with Husman having three kills and Mettler having two. That was when Chadron turned the game on it's head. They went on a 14-5 run to take a 20-17 lead, including a stretch of six straight points. BHSU tried to close the gap getting the lead down to one point at 24-23 with five kills from five different Jackets, but a Mataya Ward kill ended the set at 25-23.
• Chadron continued the momentum into the third set taking an early 10-4 lead. BHSU did come back and tied it up at 12 after an 8-2 run that included two kills by Mettler. Chadron immediately answered with a 6-1 run to make it 18-13 before BHSU scored ten of the next 16 points to make it 24-23 with three kills from Husman. Unfortunately, a kill by Gibson Beckler would end the set at 25-23 again and give Chadron a 2-1 lead.
• The fourth set was more back and forth. CSC started with three straight points before the Green and Gold won four in a row and six of seven to take a 6-4 lead. A 7-1 run put Chadron up 11-7. After that it was back and forth with no team able to widen or close the gap. After Chadron took two in a row to make it a 19-15 game, BHSU won five straight points on five Eagle attack errors to go up 20-19. With some more trading points, Chadron ended up in the lead at 23-22. Mettler would get two kills in a row to put the Jackets at set point. Kally Kirkwood of Chadron would get a kill to tie it and back-to-back kills by Ward would give Chadron the 26-24 win and the 3-1 match win.

 
BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Carsyn Mettler: 17 kills
Elena Atkinson: 31 assists
Zoie Husman: 13 kills, 2 aces
Izabel Abril & Peyton McLeod: 5 blocks
 Izzy Saiki: 10 kills, 17 digs
 
UP NEXT
BHSU will finish the RMAC Regional Pod in Rapid City on Friday, where they will face the red-hot South Dakota Mines Hardrockers at 7 PM in the King Center.
 
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