SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Nebraska Wesleyan ended their five-match losing streak with a 3-1 victory over Hardin-Simmons University in the first match of the Trinity University Invitational on Friday in San Antonio, Texas.  NWU won in scores of 25-20, 25-17, 18-25, 25-22.

Later in the evening, NWU fell in a five set thriller to the host school, Trinity University 3-2.  The Prairie Wolves dropped the match 23-25, 25-17, 23-25, 27-25, 15-10.

Against Hardin-Simmons, the Prairie Wolves took control of the match early and didn't look back.  NWU pounded out 23 kills in the first two sets to earn the wins in the first two.  Hardin-Simmons had 16 kills to win the third set, but NWU responded to earn the 25-22 win in the fourth set.

NWU led 11-4 in the fourth set and held off a late charge by Hardin-Simmons.  HSU got within two at 17-15 and again at 24-22, but a service error on match point gave the Prairie Wolves the win.

Kierra Harder and Callie Meyer led the Prairie Wolves with 10 kills in the match.  Meyer hit .350 and added two block assists for NWU.  Kylie Sestak dished out 18 assists and Kennedy Hegert had 24 digs in the win.

Playing against the home team Trinity, and immediately following a four-set match, the Prairie Wolves had their work cut out for them.  NWU and Trinity battled in set one at were tied at 22-22 before NWU got a kill by Sid Mell and a ball handling error put them up 24-22.  Trinity closed within one, but Mackenzie Allen sealed the win with a kill.

Trinity got out quick in the second set with a 11-3 lead and NWU could not recover.

The third set was back and forth as the teams were tied at 18-18.  NWU scored three straight points to go up by three points and they wouldn't trail again.  Once again Allen sealed the victory with a kill to win 25-23.

NWU had match point in the fourth set leading 24-23 and looked to post their second straight 3-1 victory.  Trinity had other plans as they got a kill and took advantage of an NWU error to lead 25-24.  A Trinity attack error tied the set at 25-25, but Trinity scored the next two points for the 27-25 win.

In the deciding fifth set, Trinity scored the first three points and never trailed.  After they got up by four points, NWU didn't recover and never pulled within four.

NWU finished with 50 kills, but hit only .104 as a team with 30 errors.  Mackenzie Allen led the way with 17 kills, while Malory Dahl had 10.  Kelsey Bahe had 24 assists and 20 digs for a double-double.  Hegert had 28 digs.