SILVER CITY, N.M. – The Western New Mexico University volleyball team opened with a strong first set and then led two sets to one before Grand Canyon came back to take the final two sets and defeat the Mustangs in five, 3-2 (25-18, 20-25, 26-24, 22-25, 11-15) Tuesday night in non-conference action inside Drag's Court.


WNMU (12-11) started the game with a pair of kills, first by Heather Rux (Cottonwood, AZ/Mingus Union High School) and the other by Ziona Verhulsdonk (Kailua, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy) for a 2-0 lead.


WNMU would keep the pressure up, pushing the lead to 7-2 following a service ace by Jordan Johnston (Boise, ID/Centennial High School).


The lead would reach as high as nine, 16-7, when Alyssa Meihack (Fallon, NV/Churchill County High School) came through with a quick kill at the net.


Grand Canyon (18-6) would cut the lead back down to five, 22-17, before the Mustangs would pull away for good. A service error and attack error moved the Mustangs to set point and after the 'Lopes posted a point, Rux slammed a kill to give WNMU the set, 25-18.


GCU opened the second set with a 4-0 lead, but WNMU would fight back.
They would come back to tie the set on a number of occasions, with the last coming at 19 on a kill by Taylor Henderson (Pocatello, ID/Century High School).


The 'Lopes would then roll off the next four points for a 23-19 lead.


GCU would tally two of the next three points to take the set, 25-20.


The 'Lopes looked to be poised to take control of the third set as well, opening up a 6-2 lead prompting a Mustang timeout.


Out of the timeout, WNMU responded to take the lead at 9-7, following an attack error and a kill by Angelina Pulu (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School).


The set would remain tight, as GCU went back ahead by four, 24-20, and were staring at set point.


WNMU then came back with a furious rally, scoring the next six points to take the set.


An attack error was followed by another one to open the door for the Mustangs.


Verhulsdonk then came through with a kill to leave it at 24-23 in favor of GCU and prompted a 'Lopes timeout.


The momentum continued for WNMU out of the break, with Verhulsdonk collecting two kills and Malayzha Dinkins (Corona, CA/Santiago High School) the other to take the set.


GCU wouldn't go away, as they opened up an 8-3 lead in the fourth set.


WNMU could never quite get over the hump in the set, as they got to within a few points a couple of times, but the 'Lopes always had answers.


Pulu and Johnston combined for a block to make it 21-19 in favor of the 'Lopes and a Grand Canyon timeout followed.


GCU came away with the next two points, which WNMU then called a timeout.


The Mustangs came back with a kill from Pulu and a block from Pulu and Johnston to get back within two, but GCU had enough down the stretch, taking two of the final three points for a 25-22 set win to tie the match at two.


In the fifth, GCU once again started strong just like the other three sets, racing out to a 5-1 lead before a WNMU timeout.


The Mustangs would get back to within one out of the timeout, with Pulu adding two kills and one by Meihack around a service error to make it a 6-5 lead for the 'Lopes.


After GCU called a timeout, they would push the lead up to five, 14-9.
WNMU fought back with a kill from Rux and after a ball handling error, it was 14-11.


The 'Lopes then finally ended things with a kill on the next point to take the set and the match.


Three Mustangs were in double-digits when it came to kills, with Verhulsdonk coming away with 18, Pulu with 16 and Rux with 11.


Meihack collected 57 assists and when it came to digs, WNMU had 107 as a team, with Marilee Frost (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) leading the way with 31. Pulu added 24, while Verhulsdonk (16), Rux (15) and Meihack (13) were all in double-digits.


GCU out-blocked the Mustangs, 17-6, as Johnston led the Mustangs with three, while Henderson, Pulu and Dinkins added two apiece.


WNMU will return to RMAC play this coming Friday on the road when they will travel to Grand Junction, Colo., to battle Colorado Mesa beginning at 7 p.m.

 
  Grand Canyon def. Western New Mexico 18-25,25-20,24-26,25-22,15-11
 
  Grand Canyon (18-6) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Giles, Janae 15-0-2;
  Blomenkamp, Brooke 13-0-8; Hiller, Caelen 10-0-5; Taylor, Shelby
  6-0-12; Preach, Kristen 3-0-1; McBride, Stephanie 3-0-2; Ausmus,
  Kaitlynn 3-0-1; Johannsen, Kristen 1-0-2; Phelps, Mackenzie 0-1-0;
  Totals 54-1-17.0. (Assists) - Preach, Kristen 44. (Dig leaders) -
  Phelps, Mackenzie 31; Davis, Megan 21; Hiller, Caelen 18; Preach,
  Kristen 13
 
  Western New Mexico (12-11) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Ziona Verhulsdonk (Kailua, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy)
  18-1-0; Angelina Pulu (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) 16-0-2; Heather Rux (Cottonwood, AZ/Mingus Union High School) 11-0-2; Taylor Henderson (Pocatello, ID/Century High School)
  7-0-2; Malayzha Dinkins (Corona, CA/Santiago High School) 7-0-2; Jordan Johnston (Boise, ID/Centennial High School) 5-1-3; Alyssa Melhack
  3-0-0; Marilee Frost (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) 1-0-0; Totals 68-2-6.0. (Assists) - Alyssa
  Melhack 57. (Dig leaders) - Marilee Frost (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) 31; Angelina Pulu (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) 24; Ziona
  Verhulsdonk 16; Heather Rux (Cottonwood, AZ/Mingus Union High School) 15; Alyssa Melhack 13
 
  Site: Silver City, NM (Drag's Court)
  Date: Oct 25, 2011   Attend: 338   Time: 2:02