The Dixie State volleyball team dropped a 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 18-25, 18-25) decision to New Mexico State on Saturday in the final game of a three-game homestand inside the Burns Arena.
 
Dixie State (2-8, 1-1 WAC) won the first set to jump out to a 1-0 lead, but New Mexico State responded with three consecutive victories to claim the match and deal the Trailblazers their first conference loss of the season.
 
The Aggies used a 6-2 run early in the first set to turn a 6-6 tie into a 12-8 lead and force DSU to take a timeout. The Trailblazers' timeout adjustments worked to perfection as Dixie State countered with a 7-2 run to take a 15-14 lead. From there, the teams traded points until NMSU took a 22-21 advantage late in the set. But the lead didn't last. The Trailblazers responded by scoring four of the final five points to claim a 25-23 win. Hannah Howard led the DSU charge, tallying five kills in the frame, while Whittnee Nihipali added four kills.
 
New Mexico State quickly took control of the second set, jumping out to a 14-5 lead early in the frame, and later maintaining the lead to 19-10. The Trailblazers would eventually trim the deficit to seven points, but it was too little, too late, and the Aggies tied the match with a 25-17 victory.
 
NMSU looked to do the same in the third set, building a 13-9 lead. The Trailblazers responded with several mini-runs to pull to within two points at 18-16, but the Aggies fought off each comeback attempt and eventually held on for a 25-18 set-three win.
 
Dixie State built an early 8-5 lead in the fourth set and maintained the lead through the first half of the frame. But NMSU refused to let the match go to a fifth set, and closed the set on a 7-2 run to turn a 16-16 tie into a 25-18 triumph to seal the victory.
 
The Trailblazers finished with 42 kills and hit .156 for the match. Megan Treanor led DSU with 11 kills, while Howard added eight kills and Bridgett Talia finished with seven kills. Jordyn Nelson posted her first double-double of the season with 21 assists and a season-high 15 kills.
 
Dixie State will travel to Chicago for a single match at Chicago State next Saturday at 1 p.m. Central Time (12 p.m. MT).