SAN ANGELO, Texas – Despite Gabby Atchley earning her second double-double of the day, Texas A&M University-Kingsville (3-1) comes up short against New Mexico Highlands University (2-1) in another five-set thriller between the two clubs at the Kathleen and Brasfield ASU Invitational. 
 
Much like the first meeting, both teams battled to the end, but it was the Cowboys that won this round, splitting the season series and ending their three-game skid against the Javelinas. 
 
Although the Javs outhit NMHU .186-.078, the Cowboys had nine aces and eight blocks compared to TAMUK's five aces and six blocks. NMHU had two players in Cynthia Norris and Tiffany Machet with double-digit kills and combined for three aces and three blocks.  
 
Atchley had an explosive opening weekend, especially on day two as she turned in 25 kills and five total blocks. In the rematch against the Cowboys, she finished with 18 digs, 12 kills and three blocks. Madison Brabham tied Atchley for a team-high of 12 kills, while Krystal Faison and Lexi Wick both had nine kills each. Wick and Haley Hutchinson also tied Atchley with three blocks. Casey Klobedans finished with 44 assists, tied her career single-match high of 21 digs, and added four kills and one block.        
 
Set 1 
The Cowboys started strong with a 7-2 lead. Kingsville trimmed the deficit to two points, but NMHU would not surrender the lead, winning the set 25-18. Held under wraps offensively, Atchley led the Javelinas with two kills. Cynthia Norris recorded four kills for the Cowboys. 
 
Set 2 
The Hoggies showed the ability to bounce back as they came out firing in the second, possessing an early 14-4 advantage. The largest lead of the set came at 23-12 sparked by three consecutive kills – two from Wick and one from Faison. Texas A&M-Kingsville won the set 25-13 led by Atchley's five kills, Faison's four and Brabham's three kills. 
 
Set 3 
The Javelinas weapons were beginning to stack up against the Cowboys as they upended the team from New Mexico 25-13. Attacks from every angle were finding the floor as Brabham and Hutchinson split eight kills evenly in the set, Atchley put down two kills, and setter Klobedans joined in with two kills to go along with her 12 assists.       
 
Set 4 
With TAMUK leading 11-7, NMHU explodes for a 7-1 run to take the lead after calling for time to talk. The Hogs continued to battle, especially late, down 24-20. Four unanswered points tied the set, but the Cowboys overcame 26-24 to force a fifth set. 
 
Set 5 
Halfway through the final frame, New Mexico Highlands held an 8-7 edge before switching sides on the court. Moments later, Faison's ace gave Kingsville a 10-9 lead, but a 3-0 run by the visitors shifted the momentum, forcing a Javelina timeout. After the timeout, both teams exchanged 4-0 runs and with the score knotted at 15, an error by TAMUK and a kill from Stacy Johnson gave the Cowboys the win. 
     
Texas A&M-Kingsville will regroup before heading to South Dakota where they will have midweek showdowns with Sioux Falls University and No. 10 Augustana University on Wednesday, September 6 at 4:00 and 7:30 p.m., respectively.  
 
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