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LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The Western New Mexico University volleyball team made quick work of New Mexico Highlands University Thursday night sweeping the Cowgirls, 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-17) in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.


With the first set tied at five, WNMU (10-6, 6-2 RMAC) reeled off the next seven points started by a kill from Malayzha Dinkins (Corona, CA/Santiago High School).


Angelina Pulu (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) then added three kills and after one from Heather Rux (Cottonwood, AZ/Mingus Union High School), Pulu went back to work with two kills to open up a 12-5 lead for the Mustangs.


NMHU (8-9, 3-5 RMAC) worked their way back into the set, pulling to within two, 21-19, before the Mustangs pulled away for the 25-19 set win on a kill by Pulu.


The Mustangs attacked at a .353 clip, connecting on 18 kills to six errors in 34 total attempts.


The second set became the closest one of the night, with the score going back-and-forth and ending up with the teams tied at ten.


The Cowgirls then gave WNMU three points on attack errors to help the Mustangs open up a 13-10 advantage.


NMHU once again came back to tie the score at 19 when Pulu put WNMU back in front with a kill.


Marilee Frost (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) added a kill to push the lead to two, 21-19, and after NMHU scored the next point, Jordan Johnston (Boise, ID/Centennial High School) delivered two kills to give the Mustangs a 23-20 lead.


After the teams traded service errors, Ziona Verhulsdonk (Kailua, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy) nailed down the second set with a kill to give WNMU the set at 25-22 and a 2-0 lead in the match.


NMHU opened the third set with a 5-3 lead before WNMU came storming back. A pair of attack errors and a service ace from Johnston pushed the Mustangs back in front, 6-5.


WNMU would stay on the attack and run the lead to 13-9, as Pulu tallied a kill and after an attack error, came through with another kill for the four-point spread.


The Cowgirls would get the score back to within two, 13-11, but a service error, and attack error and a kill by Dinkins gave the Mustangs a 16-11 lead.


That prompted NMHU to take a timeout, but out of the timeout the Cowgirls had three straight attack errors, with Verhulsdonk getting in on two blocks, along with Johnston helping on one to open up an eight-point lead, 19-11.


NMHU would get back to within five at 23-15, but that would be as close as they would get, as two attack errors helped give WNMU a 25-17 third set win and a 3-0 match victory.


Pulu led the attack for the Mustangs with 15 kills on 35 total attacks and four errors for a .314 percentage. She also added seven digs and a solo block.


Verhulsdonk and Dinkins were next in kills with seven apiece, as Verhulsdonk added four digs and two blocks, while Dinkins posted six digs.


Alyssa Meihack (Fallon, NV/Churchill County High School) dished out 27 assists and seven digs, while Rux led the team in blocks with three, all solo.


WNMU will have a quick turnaround as they will play at Adams State College Friday night beginning at 7 p.m.

 
 Western New Mexico vs New Mexico Highlands (Oct 06, 2011 at Las Vegas, NM)
 
  Western New Mexico def. New Mexico Highlands 25-19,25-22,25-17
 
  Western New Mexico (10-6 (6-2 RMAC)) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Angelina
  Pulu 15-0-1; Malayzha Dinkins (Corona, CA/Santiago High School) 7-0-0; Ziona Verhulsdonk (Kailua, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy) 7-1-2; Heather
  Rux 5-0-3; Jordan Johnston (Boise, ID/Centennial High School) 4-1-1; Marilee Frost (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) 1-0-0; Alyssa Melhack
  1-0-0; Sarah Koster (Corona, CA/) 1-0-0; Kassie Kagawa (Hilo, HI/Waiakea High School) 0-1-0; Totals 41-3-6.0.
  (Assists) - Alyssa Melhack 27. (Dig leaders) - Marilee Frost (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) 12;
  Kassie Kagawa (Hilo, HI/Waiakea High School) 10
 
  New Mexico Highlands (8-9 (3-5 RMAC)) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Darian
  Mullen 11-0-0; Dominique Benton 8-0-2; Jazmine Harge 5-0-4; Kelsey
  Groff 4-1-2; Brook Tuttle 2-0-0; Ashley Nugent 1-0-0; Hope Lujan
  0-1-1; Sheila Olaechea 0-0-1; Totals 31-2-6.0. (Assists) - Brooke
  Fahnestock 21. (Dig leaders) - Sheila Olaechea 14; CiCi Cordova 6
 
  Site: Las Vegas, NM (Wilson Complex)
  Date: Oct 06, 2011   Attend: 75   Time: 1hr 15mi
  Referees: Yancy Montoya, Jim Farmer