SALT LAKE CITY – Westminster College volleyball suffered defeat to Black Hills State University, 3-1.  The Griffins lost the first set 25-17, won the second set 26-24, and lost set three 25-22 and set four 25-17.
 
Westminster falls to 5-13 overall and 2-8 in conference play, while Black Hills State improves to 8-11 overall and 5-5 in conference play.
 
Westminster started the first set in promising fashion.  Black Hills State was leading 6-4 after 10 points had been played.  The visitors increased the lead with a seven point run and never looked back, leading by as much as 12 points and eventually winning the match 25-17.
 
The Yellow Jackets started the second set scoring nine straight points and looked like they would run away with the set.  An 11-3 point run by the Griffins saw them claw themselves back within one point.  The Griffins continued to battle until two kills, by Amara Spere, captured the lead at 24-23.  The Griffins won the set 26-24.
 
The Griffins continued to battle in the third set.  The Griffins took the lead at 6-5 and led by as much as five points until Black Hills State tied it up at 19-19.  Kills by Amara Spere and Amber Lamborn would keep the set close but the Yellow Jackets pulled away and win 25-22.
 
Black Hills State won the match in the fourth set, 25-17, as the Griffins ran out of steam.
 
"I am happy with the way the team battled," said Head Coach Al Givens.  "It's difficult, after an emotional  5 set match the night before, to battle with a team coming in that is rested and didn't have a match the night before. "
 
Amara Spere and Audrey Green both had double digit kills on the night.  Spere tallied 14 kills and a .324 hitting percentage.  Green tallied 22 kills and a .356 hitting percentage.  Taylor Gustafson had 46 assists and 9 digs.  Libero Megan Gallegos led the team in digs with 12, while three other players had eight digs each - Hannah Stearman, Amber Lamborn and Audrey Green.
 
The Griffins go on a five game road trip over the next two weeks.  Next week the team will play three matches – CSU-Pueblo on Tuesday, Adams State on Thursday and Fort Lewis on Saturday.  The games will be available on the RMAC Network and on live stats.