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Alina Nunez

Volleyball brings winning streak to Whalen, hosts Yellow Jackets and Hardrockers

9/18/2025 12:08:00 PM

By: Angela Roberts, Associate AD - Communications
DURANGO, Colo. – Volleyball is back in Whalen Gym this week after seven matches on the road as they play host to Black Hills State (3-5, 0-0 RMAC) and South Dakota Mines (0-8, 0-0 RMAC) to kick off Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.

Looking Back
It was a flawless weekend for Fort Lewis College (6-1, 0-0 RMAC) with a clean sheet at the Chaps Classic in Lubbock, Texas. Fort Lewis earned five set wins over Eastern New Mexico and Lubbock Christian before ending the nonconference schedule with a 3-1 win over Southwestern Oklahoma State. The Skyhawks have ascended to 6-1 on the year for their best start since 2010.

Pomroy named Player of the Week
Sophomore libero Emery Pomroy anchored the Skyhawks' backcourt at the Chaps Classic, averaging more than five digs per set to earn her first career RMAC Defensive Player of the Week honors. She totaled 69 digs, nine assists, and just three receiving errors on over 50 attempts. The sophomore has already recorded five 20-dig performances this season—surpassing her total from all of last year, when she hit the mark just twice in 20 matches.

Her impact is felt across the stat sheet, as she leads the RMAC with 5.26 digs per set and helps pace a Fort Lewis defense limiting opponents to a .153 hitting percentage—the third-best mark in the league.

Scouting Black Hills State
The Yellow Jackets are 3-5 this season with wins over Brandon (Canada), UMary, and Minot State. The team is coming off a 5-21 season in 2024 which saw them going 1-3 in conference play. Black Hills State is under the direction of first year head coach, Grayson DuBose.

The Yellow Jackets are hitting .168 this season compared to a .205 efficiency from their opponents. The team averages 13.6 digs, 1.4 aces, and 1.4 blocks per set. Emily Freeland leads the attack with 3.13 kills per set at a .207 clip—much improved from her 1.59 kills per set and .075 mark in 2024. Randi Wellhoefer follows at 2.03 kills per set, and four additional players are putting away at least one per set.

Black Hills State is running a two-setter offense with Elena Atkinson (5.46 assists/set) and Sydnie Tuioti-Mariner (4.41 assists/set) splitting duties. Defense begins with Ellie Thomas who up putting up 4.17 digs pers set while receiving at a .972 clip. Teams will likely target Freeland on serve receive after the senior has racked up 27 receiving errors through 30 sets.

Fort Lewis is 9-4 all-time versus Black Hills State and has won the last four matchups. Last season, the Skyhawks earned a 3-1 win in Spearfish. DeJesus led the team with 16 kills while Pomroy registered 13 digs.

Scouting South Dakota Mines
The Hardrockers are 0-8 to start the year after facing four nationally ranked teams in the opening weeks. South Dakota Mines is coming off an 18-9 mark in 2024 that featured an 11-3 record in RMAC matches and a trip to the RMAC Tournament.

South Dakota Mines is hitting .176 compared to a .256 clip for the opposition. The team averages 1.2 aces, 1.8 blocks, and 14.9 digs per set. Defense runs through the reigning RMAC Defensive Player of the Year, Hannah Benes, who is averaging 4.27 digs per set. As a primary target on serve receive, the senior has committed 12 receiving errors through eight matches compared to 10 errors in 27 matches last season.

The team is replacing an All-American arm on the right side following the graduation of Alessandra Meoni, an opposite that averaged 4.06 kills per set while hitting .310. Morgan Daugherty and Lexi Glendenning have stepped up by averaging three kills per set apiece, followed by three players with two kills per set. Hannah Joseph has started each match at setter and owns 7.83 assists per set.

Fort Lewis leads the all-time series (6-5) but dropped last year's match in four sets on the road. DeJesus led the team with 13 kills while Butler contributed three blocks.

Inside the Numbers
Fort Lewis has improved across most major statistical categories this season, led by digs per set where the team is up over four digs to average 18.1 per set this year. Additionally, the Skyhawks are hitting .218 (.152 in 2024) while averaging 1.8 aces (1.3 in 2024).

Senior middle blocker Ella Butler is off to a fantastic start by averaging 2.88 kills per set on a .411 efficiency—a mark that ranks 2nd in the RMAC and 24th in NCAA DII. Junior Jordan DeJesus is playing equally as well while ranking 12th in the league at 2.88 kills per set at a .271 efficiency (.154 in 2024). Freshman Cambria Freymuth has added valuable offensive and defensive abilities as a six rotation outside hitter, averaging 2.74 kills and 2.89 digs per set.

For the first time in three seasons, the Skyhawks are running a 6-2 offense with freshman Arianna Reyna and sophomore Addie Garn distributing the ball. Reyna averages 5.69 assists per set while Garn averages 3.76 per set and leads the team in total aces (11). Sophomore Emery Pomroy is pacing the RMAC with 5.26 digs per set—a mark that ranks 22nd in NCAA DII.

Around the RMAC
Fort Lewis ranks fourth in the conference with its 6-1 record and holds the second longest winning streak with five-straight victories. The Skyhawks rank first in opponent blocks (1.17), second in digs (18.14, 20th-DII), third in opponent hitting percentage (.153), fifth in hitting percentage (.218), and sixth in service aces (1.76).

Individually, Butler ranks second in hitting percentage (.411), DeJesus is 12th in kills per set (2.88), Reyan is ninth in assists per set (5.69), Chloe Ruhl is 11th in aces per set (.47), and Pomroy is first in digs per set (5.26).

Up Next
Fort Lewis will take its first conference road trip next week when it heads to face Chadron State College (3-5, 0-0 RMAC) on Friday, September 26 in Chadron, Nebraska, followed by a match against Regis University (0-8, 0-0 RMAC) the following day in Denver.
 
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