SPEARFISH, S.D.  Western Colorado volleyball embarks on a two-match road swing into South Dakota, beginning with Friday's Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference match against the Yellow Jackets of Black Hills State University.

WESTERN COLORADO HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND | SEASON STATS
The Mountaineers will try to extend win streaks against both Black Hills State and South Dakota Mines. Western has won the past two matches against the Yellow Jackets, doubling that streak against the Hardrockers with four consecutive victories and eight of the past nine.

Despite the result, a 3-1 defeat, Western posted its highest single-match attack percentage (.304) of the season in Saturday's home match against CSU Pueblo. That high point included a third-set triumph in which the Mountaineers posted a single-set season high of .400 in the 25-20 set win.

Jaeda Davis-Golliher leads Western in hitting percentage with a mark of .332, which is fifth-highest in the RMAC. Her 2.61 kills per set average trails only teammate Emily Mangone's average of 2.61/set on the Western stat sheet.

Mangone's 146 kills tops the Mountaineer attack list, as does her 20 service aces.

The Mountaineer defense at the net is paced by Davis-Golliher with 11 solo blocks and 35 block assists, while Elizabeth Rupprecht cleans up behind the block attempts with a team-best 158 digs.

BLACK HILLS STATE HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND | SEASON STATS
The Yellow Jackets are 3-15 overall and 2-8 in the RMAC heading into their match against the Mountaineers. Its last time out BHSU ended a four-match losing streak with a solid 3-1 win over Westminster (Utah) College.

Haedyn Rhoades spearheads a defensive effort with a league-leading mark of 5.08 digs/set. Her 335 total digs help the Yellow Jackets to the fourth-best digs/set mark in the league, at 15.33.

Also appearing high in conference rankings is outside hitter Madison Hoopman. The senior is fourth in the RMAC with a 3.37 kills rate per set, and has accumulated 192 kills so far this season.

Karly Marx is the primary setter for the BHSU attack, dishing out 549 set assists – nearly 80 percent of the team total (694).

SOUTH DAKOTA MINES HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND | SEASON STATS
Mines, 6-12 overall and 3-7 in the conference, will be seeking to end the Western win streak against the Hardrockers. They had a two-match win streak broken by Colorado Mesa in their last outing, and will look to get back on the winning track Friday night against visiting Fort Lewis College before entertaining the Mountaineers on Saturday.

Jacey Koethe ranks second in the RMAC in points with an average of 4.25/set, and is third in the league with a mark of 3.39 kills/set.

The Hardrocker defense is formidable away from the net, posting an average of 15.16 digs/set that is fifth best in the conference. Leading that defensive effort is Anna Thomas with 304 digs and a 4.41 digs/set average.

Defense at the net is provided primarily by Koethe, whose 23 solo and 44 block assists pace the Mines blockers.

LOOKING AHEAD
Western returns home to Paul Wright Gym after its South Dakota trip, welcoming Colorado Mesa for Blackout Night on Fri., Oct. 21, then Westminster on Sat. for Dig Pink Night.