SPEARFISH, S.D.  In a tight, non-conference volleyball match at Black Hills State University, the Mountaineers rallied back from an opening-set loss to take the next three to earn a 3-1 win Thursday evening at the Donald E. Young Sports & Fitness Center.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Western def. BHSU, 3-1 (22-25, 25-23, 262-24, 25-20)
Records: Western 5-16, BHSU 5-16
Location: Donald E. Young Sports & Fitness Center, Spearfish, S.D.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Yellow Jackets never trailed in winning the first set, but they were unable to maintain the momentum during a second set that included 13 ties and 4 lead changes.
• All square at 22-22, Western inched ahead on an Addison Lynn kill then reached set point on a service ace from Kennedy Kelly. BHSU fought off that point to pull back within one only to have Seyun Park close out the set with one of her 18 kills.
• Though it didn't clinch the match, Western's rally in the third set was a backbreaker for the Yellow Jackets, who at one point led by seven points, 19-12, and looked as if they would take the set and the match lead.
• The Mountaineers were behind 21-15 when they put together a 4-0 run that was the start of a 7-1 spurt that squared the set, again, at 22-22.
• BHSU reached set point with consecutive points, but Western would rally, this time taking the next four points for the set victory. A Yellow Jacket service error and an attacking error on the ensuing point brought the Mountaineers back into a tie, and then a kill from Maggie Olson and a service ace by Nur Turkmenoglu finished off the rally and the set.
• A 9-1 run through the middle of the fourth set erased a 10-8 deficit and Western never again trailed to claim the fourth set and the match.

NET NOTES

• Olson's 20 kills tied for match-high honors, and it was the third time this season she's registered 20 or more kills in a match. Park's 18 were her third-highest count this season.
• The ultra-competitive second set saw both teams finding success on attacks. Western won the set hitting 0.364 compared to BHSU's almost equal 0.353 clip.
• The clinching fourth set was a much different story for the Yellow Jackets as they registered only a 0.025 attacking percentage while the Mountaineers were successful at a rate of 0.273.
• BHSU had a strong presence at the net defensively, with a 13.0-5.0 blocking advantage, but Western had four players reach double digits in digs to counter, led by Lynn's 17 and Elizabeth Rupprecht's 16 digs.

UP NEXT
Western continues non-conference action Friday night, taking on Westminster University at the Young Center in a 6 p.m. neutral-site match.