SPEARFISH, S.D.- The Black Hills State Yellow Jackets lost an incredibly tight game to Westminster 3-1 as BHSU had chances to win in sets two and four but could not pull it out. Seniors Ellie Thomas, Jaeda Davis-Golliher, Emily Freeland, Sydnie Tuioti-Mariner, and Randi Wellhoefer all had incredible performances on their senior night with Thomas having a career-high in digs with 33.
QUICK DETAILS
Score: Black Hills State 1, Westminster 3
Team Records: Black Hills State (6-20 (2-12 RMAC)), Westminster (17-9 (9-6 RMAC))
Attendance: 416
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Yellow Jackets started the first set hot, going on a 6-2 run to start the match. Westminster answered with a 4-2 run before BHSU won three in a row to make 11-6. After splitting some points and no real runs happening, Westminster would eventually close the gap to two at 15-13. The Yellow Jackets would fight that comeback by winning seven of the next ten points to make it 22-16 as Wellhoefer would have three kills in that run. Westminster would once again close the gap by winning five of the next seven to make it 24-21 before Emily Freeland ended the set with a kill to get BHSU’s first set win in three games.
- Westminster would start the second set with a 3-0 run before BHSU would close the lead to one at 6-5. Westminster kept the foot on the pedal and immediately got it back to three at 8-5. After splitting the next eight points, the lead would remain at three before the Yellow Jackets went on a 6-1 run to take a 15-13 lead heading into the media timeout. Out of the timeout, Westminster immediately tied it before BHSU went on another 6-1 run to take a 21-16 lead. Freeland had four kills during these two 6-1 runs, while Wellhoefer had three. Right as BHSU had all the momentum, Westminster caught fire. They won seven in a row to take a 23-21 lead and eventually took the set 25-23 to take the energy out of the arena and tie the match 1-1.
- The third set began with each team winning four points and tying each other at 4-4. Westminster jumped on the first run of the set with a 5-1 run to take a 9-5 lead. BHSU tried to climb back into it. They got it down to two at 12-10, but the Griffins immediately won back-to-back points. They then won five out of six to make it 15-15. Each team took three of the next six points to make it 18-18, before WC went on their second straight late-set run. They won seven of eight points to win the set 25-19 and take a 2-1 lead on the match.
- After a close start to the fourth set with Westminster leading 7-5, BHSU went on a 5-0 run with two kills by Freeland and another one by Mettler to make it 10-7. WC went on a 5-2 run to tie it back up at 12 before the Green and Gold took 8 of 10 points to make it 20-14. During that run, Wellhoefer had three kills and Davis-Golliher had two and a block. The Yellow Jackets were on their way to a fifth set before the Griffins went on a 7-1 run to tie the match at 21. BHSU took back-to-back points to make it 23-21 on a kill by Carsyn Mettler and a block, before WC five out of six points and a block ended it at 26-24 in the fourth set to get Westminster the 3-1 win.
BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Emily Freeland: 16 kills, 11 digs
Randi Wellhoefer: 12 kills, 14 digs (Career-High), 3 blocks
Ellie Thomas: 33 digs (Career-High)
Sydnie Tuioti-Mariner: 23 assists, 14 digs
Jaeda Davis-Golliher: 10 kills (Season-High), 5 blocks (Season-High)
