LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Despite a solid first set by the Yellow Jackets, Black Hills State volleyball fell to New Mexico Highlands in a 3-1 loss on Saturday night.
 
The Yellow Jackets started the game off on a good note as they recorded a .289 clip against the Cowgirls, but 20 errors and seven Cowgirl blocks caused trouble for BHSU in the next three sets. Although both squads split 16 total service aces, they also combined for 14 service errors, with BHSU claiming nine of their own.
 
Haedyn Rhoades and Kindra Cerrone held most of the Yellow Jacket aces, with Rhoades claiming a trio of them and Cerrone leading the team with four. Abigail Renner and Cerrone tied for the Yellow Jacket kill-lead with both players recording a baker's dozen on the night. As a team, BHSU finished the match with a .146 hitting percentage against the Cowgirls. Karly Marx was all over the court in tonight's matchup, hoisting 37 assists and 10 digs in tonight's game, also possessing a single kill on four total attacks.
 
Set One (W, 25-17): Both teams started locked up in score until Aiyana Byrd put up a block and a kill in consecutive rallies to go up 8-6. The Yellow Jackets continued to lock down the Cowgirls at the net, forcing a NMHU timeout at a 16-11 scoreboard. The rest of the set was controlled by BHSU as they took set one by an eight-point margin.
 
Set Two (L, 25-19): Solid attacking from Byrd and Madison Hoopman allowed for the Yellow Jackets to take an early three-point advantage at 5-2, with unforced NMHU errors keeping the Cowgirls at bay early on. The Cowgirls capitalized on BHSU service errors, however, to close the gap at 13-13. Riding on the momentum, they scored a 5-2 series to force a Yellow Jacket timeout at an 18-15 score. BHSU pulled themselves back to a 21-19 deficit, but the NMHU momentum could not be stopped as the Cowgirls went on to even the match at one set per side. The hosting Cowgirls were able to maintain a .300 clip as they limited errors down the stretch, complimenting that with a pair of their own blocks in the second set.
 
Set Three (L, 25-16): Although NMHU started the set with a 3-0 series, Cerrone led the way for the Yellow Jackets to tie the game 3-all. Unforced errors and scoring responses kept both teams tied through much of the middle, but the Cowgirls cooked up a five-point series to take a 15-12 lead over BHSU. After a solid series from NMHU, the Yellow Jackets faced a 20-12 deficit that proved too much to come back from, with the Cowgirls going up 2-1.
 
Set Four (L, 25-20): After starting on top 3-1 in favor of BHSU, the Cowgirls went on a five-score rally to go up 6-3. A Renner kill and a pair of Cerrone service aces put the Yellow Jackets back in contention at a 6-all score, but NMHU regained their momentum to go up 17-9, threatening to end the game in the fourth. BHSU was able to close the gap with five-consecutive scoring rallies to pull within three, but NMHU hung on to take the match in a 25-20 final score.
 
Up Next:
The Yellow Jackets return to the Donald E. Young Center next weekend for the final time this season, hosting UCCS on Friday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. for senior night.