Gunnison, Colo.,    Western wins set one but drops three in a row to Black Hills State.

JUST THE FACTS
Final Score: Black Hills State defeat Western Colorado 4-1
Records: Western Colorado overall 1-9 (0-3 RMAC) | BHSU 4-6 overall (1-1 RMAC)
Location: Gunnison, Colorado | Paul Wright Gym
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Western Colorado started hot as junior Liv Marshall and senior Olive Rolseth powered early kills to grab a 6–3 lead. The Yellow Jackets responded to tie it at 8–8, junior Kyra Kidd delivered back-to-back kills and a block to push the Mountaineers ahead 13–10. A service ace from Marshall stretched the gap to 18–14, and Rolseth added a clutch swing down the line to make it 22–17. Western controlled the frame to the end, closing 25–20 on a Kidd kill.

• Black Hills State came out stronger in the second set, jumping ahead 9–5 after a run of kills. Western fought back behind a pair of Rolseth kills and an ace from junior Kaira Willits to cut it to 12–11. The Yellow Jackets regained momentum at 18–14, but Kidd stuffed a block at the net and Marshall added another kill to bring it within 20–18. Despite the push, Western couldn't close the gap, dropping the set 25–21.

• The Mountaineers answered in the third, trading points early before Marshall strung together three kills to give Western a 12–9 edge. Senior Emalie Depew and junior Breanna Nohava combined on a block to make it 16–12, and sophomore Galatia Andrew added a back-row dig that led to a Rolseth kill. Black Hills rallied late, but Western held firm as Marshall closed the frame 25–22 with her sixth kill of the set.
• In the fourth, momentum swung back and forth with ties at 9–9, 15–15, and 20–20.
• Rolseth hammered two key kills to give Western a 22–21 lead, and Kidd followed with a block to push it to 24–22. The Mountaineers sealed the match at 25–23 on a final swing by Marshall, finishing off a 3–1 victory.

NET NOTES 

Marshall paced Western with 16 kills and added 7 digs, while Rolseth chipped in 13 kills and also had an ace. Kidd tallied 11 kills and led defensively with 3 blocks. On the serving side, Rolseth had 1 ace, and Marshall added 2. At the net, Depew and Nohava both posted 6 blocks each, with Kidd contributing 3. Willits ran the offense effectively with 24 assists, followed by freshman Anuhea Ka'alele with 20 and Andrew with 4. In digging, Andrew led with 13, Willits added 9, and Marshall had 7.

UP NEXT
Western Colorado hits the road to take on Regis on Friday Sept. 26 at 7pm.