SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University Yellow Jackets volleyball team lost a heart-breaker in their first match of the weekend to the New Mexico Highlands University Cowgirls, 3-2. After having a 2-1 lead on the match, the Yellow Jackets dropped the last two sets to the Cowgirls. The Cowgirls now have a record of 9-10 overall and 3-7 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

With the loss, the Jackets now sit at 5-13 overall and 1-8 in conference match-ups.  The Yellow Jackets are on a seven match losing streak.

The match up was hard fought from beginning serve to end. Each sides showed that they wanted the victory. The story of the night was the Cowgirls' kills where they had 75 total kills compare to 52 for the Yellow Jackets.

The Yellow Jackets came out extremely energized and dominate by winning eight of the first 11 points in the opening set. The Yellow Jackets defense throughout the entire match was outstanding even though they lost the dig battle 81-70.  NMHU's came up with many timely digs which came to be the difference in the match.

NMHU's top-two hitters on the night were Darian Mullen who had 29 kills and Jazmine Harge who chipped in 16 more.  Cowgirls' setter, Tarissa Mellin was incredible. She had a match-high 72 assists and 10 digs.  Defensively, four other  Maverick players had double-figure dig totals including Jessica Piper with 18, Bailey Weidner with 16, Alicia Moreno with 15, and Acacia Ka'a'a with 11. Bailey Weidner, Tarissa Mellin, and Alicia Moreno ended the night with double-doubles for the Cowgirls.

The Yellow Jackets defense is what kept them in this match. They dominated the blocking game, 15 to three. Junior Holly Hamlin was the anchor for the Yellow Jackets defense recording nine blocks to keep her ranked first-overall in the conference. Senior Amy O'Neill  led the offense with 17 kills and also turned in 11 digs defensively, to give her another double-double.

Redshirt freshman, Lacy Stevens, seemed to be everywhere on the court, continuing her stellar play as she had 17 digs on the match to lead the team. Freshamn setter, Brynn Eckhardt, had 44 assist to go along with 14 digs, and senior hitter, Caitlin Templeton had 11 kills.  Meghan Sipe contributed with eight digs to go along seven kills.

The next match for the Yellow Jackets will again come at home on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013 with the first serve set for 1:00 p.m. MT from the Young Center.

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