RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Black Hills State women’s volleyball team fell in five sets to the Hardrockers Tuesday night in the King Center.
The Yellow Jackets won set one 25-16, lost set two 25-23, won set three 25-20, lost set four 25-20, and lost set five 15-11 falling to 4-9 overall and 1-4 in the RMAC.
Madison Hoopman was on fire at the net recording a career high 25 kills while also recording one solo block.
Karly Marx paced the team with 45 assists and 21 digs.
Haedyn Rhoades led the team in digs with 24. While five Yellow Jackets recorded aces including Rhoades, Marx, Hoopman, Kindra Cerrone, and Peyton Bodemann.
In set one the Hardrockers got ahead early, however; behind solid serving from junior Madison Hoopman the Yellow Jackets went on a five-point run to go ahead of the Hardrockers 9-5 forcing a South Dakota Mines time out. The Hardrockers would pull within two as the Yellow Jackets led 13-11 before BHSU would go on a 4-1 run forcing another Hardrocker time out. Out of the time out the Yellow Jackets and Hardrockers would trade points before the Yellow Jackets would go on a 6-1 run defeating the Hardrockers 25-16 to round out the first set.
The second set started out evenly matched between the two teams before South Dakota Mines would take a 2-point lead 13-11 over the Yellow Jackets. The Yellow Jackets would pull within one before South Dakota Mines would take a three-point advantage 17-14 forcing a BHSU time out. Out of the time out the Yellow Jackets would pull even at 18 all. The Yellow Jackets and Hardrockers would each put together three-point runs before being knotted up at 22 all. The Hardrockers would go on to outscore the Yellow Jackets 3-1 to take the set 25-23 over the Yellow Jackets.
The Hardrockers would keep the momentum to start out the third set going up 3-1 over the Yellow Jackets. BHSU would take the lead over South Dakota Mines 8-7 after which the teams would be locked up again six times before Mines would take a two-point lead over BHSU 16-14. From that point the Yellow Jackets would outscore the Hardrockers 11-4 to take the 25-20 set three victory.
In set four the Yellow Jackets and Hardrockers stayed well-paced with one another through much of the set. South Dakota Mines would get a slight lead on BHSU midway through the set going up three points and the Hardrockers would ride that lead to a 25-20 finish over the Yellow Jackets tying the game at two sets apiece.
The fifth set would start out with the Hardrockers finding their way to an early two-point lead which they would hold through much of the set. The Hardrockers would work their way two a 12-8 lead over the Yellow Jackets midway through the set. BHSU would put up three more points but would be unable to make the comeback in set five falling to the Hardrockers 15-11 in the set and 3-2 in the match.
