LAS VEGAS, N.M. --- After waiting a month and 11 matches to play their home opener, the New Mexico Highlands volleyball team got off to a good start Friday night against Black Hills State taking a 5-0 lead in the opening game on its way to a 25-21 victory.
However, the rest of the match didn't go as well for the Cowgirls as they dropped the next three games to lose to the Yellow Jackets 3-1 (21-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-17) at Wilson Complex.
The loss drops the Cowgirls to 4-8 overall and 2-2 in RMAC play while the Yellow Jackets move to 4-6 overall and 1-2 in the RMAC.
After dropping the second game to even the match, NMHU fell behind 5-0 to start the third game before rallying with its own 5-0 run to even the game. NMHU eventually took a 15-13 lead on an ace from
Celina Naranjo. But up 16-14, BHSU went on a 6-1 run to take a 20-17 advantage, and while the Cowgirls cut the lead to 22-21, never could recover and lost the third game 25-21.
NMHU led 11-9 in the fourth game after a
Camryn Nelson kill, but a 5-0 run gave the Yellow Jackets the momentum for good as they went on to win the game 25-17 to claim the match.
Tiffany Matchett led NMHU with 13 kills and added 21 digs, Nelson had 12 kills and 12 digs and
Cynthia Norris finished with 10 kills. Naranjo finished with 34 assists along with 10 digs and two aces while
Elena Rivera had a team-best 22 digs.
The Cowgirls return to action 6 p.m. Saturday as they host South Dakota Mines at Wilson Complex.
