Sam Houston Bearkat volleyball lost in five sets Saturday at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum to the New Mexico State Aggies.
The Bearkats (6-14, 3-3) started with a tight set one win over the Aggies (10-6, 3-2) by a score of 25-21.
The Bearkats at one point during the first set were leading 14-7 after a kill by sophomore outside hitter Alyssa Fielder.
The Aggies then were able to close the gap as it seemed they were poised to steal the first set.
A kill by sophomore middle blocker McKenzie Morvant, however, sealed the set.
New Mexico State were able to even it back up after a tight set two that saw them winning it 25-23.
A kill by freshman outside hitter Hailey Heider made it 17-13, but the Aggies scored five of the next six points to even it up at 18-18.
Freshman middle blocker Madison Dyer and junior outside hitter Catherine Krieger helped the Bearkats lead 23-21.
But a couple kills from Aggie redshirt freshman outside hitter Mia Peterson paved the way for a 4-0 run for the Aggies to seal set two, tying the game.
Set three continued the theme of tight sets, with six lead changes. The largest lead with five points when the Bearkats went up 22-17.
A Madison Dyer kill gave the Bearkats a 25-22 set three win to go up two sets to one.
The Kats, however, were dominated by the Aggies in sets four and five as New Mexico State got the win.
The Aggies won set four 25-15 and set five 15-6.
In total the Bearkats were outscored 40-21 in those sets combined.
Catherine Krieger, Madison Dyer and Alyssa Fielder led the Kats in kills with 11 each. Fielder also got 10 digs, marking her fifth straight double-double in as many matches.
She now has six on the season.
Graduate transfer Analise Lucio finished with a double-double of her own with 27 assists and 13 digs, her eighth of the season.
Freshman setter Avery Fowler had 16 assists and six digs.
Sophomore libero Hannah Baker had 29 digs.
New Mexico State were led by junior outside hitter Katie Birtcil who had 20 kills. It was a game high.
Graduate outside hitter Molly Johnson also had a standout game with 17 kills and 21 digs.
The Bearkats will be back in action Thursday as they will face off against the Utah Tech Trailblazers (8-7, 2-4) for the first time ever.
