GUNNISON, Colo. – The weekend sweep wasn't just possible for Western State Colorado University volleyball on Saturday against Black Hills State University, it seemed probable. However, the Yellow Jackets escaped Paul Wright Gym with a win in five sets (25-23, 23-25, 25-15, 19-25, 11-15).
 
Western (2-19, 1-11 RMAC), coming off a four set victory over South Dakota School of Mines & Technology the night before, was looking to go 2-0 over the weekend.
 
Momentum from Friday night's win carried over to Saturday as the Mountaineers got rolling right away. Hanna Hendrickson got Western out to an early 6-3 lead after recording three service aces in-a-row.
 
As a team, the Mountaineers picked apart the Yellow Jacket defense with precise serves, recording 10 aces in the match. Hendrickson and Logan Franek each had four.
 
BHSU (9-12, 6-6 RMAC) weathered the opening storm and took the lead from Western in the first set with a 7-1 run. The Yellow Jackets had a 17-14 lead midway through the first.
 
Western continued to attack and tied the match at 23 points. A kill by Jordan Eatwell and a BHSU error would give the Mountaineers a 1-0 lead heading into the second set.
 
Eatwell led Western in kills with 15 and now has 997 kills in her career.
 
The second set again came down to the wire as the teams were tied late in the match, 22-22. This time, BHSU would come away with a 25-23 set victory, tying the match at one set apiece.
 
The third set was dominated by Western. The Mountaineers hit a match high .286 in the third set, demolishing the Yellow Jackets 25-19.
 
The match continued to be a back-and-forth affair as BHSU responded with a 25-19 set victory to force a final fifth set.
 
In the fifth, Western and BHSU exchanged points and were tied 9-9. However, it was the Yellow Jackets that grabbed the upper hand, scoring the next four points, to put themselves in an opportunity to take the match.
 
The Yellow Jackets deflected Western's attacks and came away with a 15-11 set win.
 
The Mountaineers had previously been undefeated in five set matches this season.
 
Hendrickson also led all players in assists with 49.
 
Western will continue the home stand next Tuesday against Colorado Mesa University at 7 p.m. in Paul Wright Gym. The Mountaineers will then host Westminster College that following Thursday at 7 p.m.