Council Bluffs, Iowa -- Indian Hills, ranked 7th in the NJCAA preseason poll, overcame two losses on the first day of the Iowa Western Invitational, to win twice the next day to gain a split in the weekend event.

The Warriors dropped three of four sets to number-six Western Nebraska and three in a row to Hillsborough (Fla.), which received votes in the poll but didn't make it into the top 20.  They then rebounded to defeat Jefferson (Mo.), another team that got votes in the ratings, and Eastern Wyoming.

After staying alive by winning the third set against WNCC, 25-23, IHCC lost set four, 25-19.  Western Nebraska had taken the first two sets, 25-22 and 25-23.  Jessica DaSilva and Camila Nicoletti had 11 and 10 kills, respectively, for the Warriors.  Laisa Telles Maeda contributed 14 assists and Yasmin Assis eight.  Nicoletti registered 11 digs and Maria Schroeder and DaSilva had 10 each.

Leading the Warriors statistically in the Hillsborough match were DaSilva with 10 kills, Yelyzaveta Sharkova with nine digs and Maeda with 11 assists.

Indian Hills won the fifth and deciding set in its first match on Saturday, knocking off Jefferson, 16-14.  DaSilva continued her streak of leading IHCC in kills in every match early in the season, recording 23, and Thayna Birimba added 14.  Maeda and Assis had identical totals with 24 assists and Indian Hills had a season-high 68 digs, led by Nicoletti's 21.

The victory against Eastern Wyoming to end the Warriors' stay in Council Bluffs came after IHCC dropped the first set, 25-22.  The Warriors roared back to take the next three, 25-9, 25-22 and 25-19.

Next up for Indian Hills is a home match against Highland (Kans.) CC on Wednesday night, starting at 6:00.