Box Score SPEARFISH, S.D. –Senior
Jessica Piper had a career night with a 26 digs, 11 assists and even a kill, but the Cowgirls could not rally from a pair of sets down as New Mexico Highlands (4-9, 0-4 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) lost a heartbreaker in five to Black Hills State (4-8, 2-2 RMAC) 25-12, 25-23, 22-25, 21-25, 15-12 Thursday night (Sept. 25) in Spearfish, S.D.
Piper was not the only double-double on the night as freshman setter
Shayli Schulz narrowly missed the triple dip with 11 kills, 11 assists and six digs. Sophomore
Andrea Nunez compiled 12 kills and nine digs.
Neither team hit well in the match, as Black Hills State mustered a .102 hitting percentage compared to .066 for Highlands. Both schools had 10 service errors, but it was Black Hills State who registered nine aces compared to the Cowgirls two.
Down two sets and 11-8 in the third, a Schulz and senior
Alicia Moreno kills around an assisted block from freshman
Tianna Matthews-Schulz quickly tied the frame. Tied at 18, Schulz recorded a kill and an attack error to put the visitors up by the coveted two points. Holding on to a slim 22-21 lead, Matthews tallied the kill and an attack error by the Yellow Jackets Highlands on set point. Both teams sided out and Highlands cut the set deficit in half.
A knockout on freshman
Talise Babbitt's serve in the fourth helped move the match to a deciding fifth set. Tied at seven, Babbitt put herself on serve with a kill before Moreno dug a ball over the net that found the floor to put the visitors up 9-7. Freshman
Katie Trammel, who finished with a trio of solo blocks, added a rejection. Sophomore
Riley Smith got the kill, Schulz and Trammel teamed up for the block and Babbit ended the six unanswered run with an ace.
The Yellow Jackets pulled within four at 19-15, but a Nunez kill, another solo block by Trammel and a Black Hills State error all but ended the set. The home team repelled three set points, but a Moreno kill sent the match to the fifth.
The set began fast for the Cowgirls thanks to a Black Hlls State service error, a Schulz kill and a Yellow Jacket error. The Cowgirls went up 6-2 and forced a Yellow Jacket timeout. Out of the break, the home team scored five unanswered to take a 7-6 lead. A Babbitt kill, an error and a Tramel solo block put the Cowgirls up two.
The home team would not go away and scored six unanswered. Shelby Mayer started with a kill and a Meghan Sipe service ace tied the set. Two errors put the home team up a pair before a critical out of rotation call against the Cowgirls put the Yellow Jackets up three. Highlands hit another atack error and trailed in the deciding set 13-9.
The Cowgirls rallied within 13-12, but a Mayer kill and a Cowgirl error ended the match.
Set one went by way of Black Hills State by 13 points thanks to a .222- negtive .118 hitting edge. The Cowgirls lost a tough second set 25-23.
Holly Hamlin led Black Hills State with 12 kills and 10 digs.
The Cowgirls return to action Friday (Sept. 26) at 6 p.m. at Chadron State.
