SILVER CITY, N.M. – It was the kind of match you would expect from a pair of teams fighting to host a first round game in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament next week. CSU-Pueblo looked to be in the driver's seat, leading two sets to one before Western New Mexico stormed back to defeat the T-Wolves, 3-2 (25-19, 18-25, 26-28, 26-24, 15-11) Friday night to clinch at least the second-seed and a home game next Tuesday in the quarterfinal round of the tournament.


WNMU (15-11, 11-6 RMAC) opened the first set with a 2-0 lead behind kills from Jordan Johnston (Boise, ID/Centennial High School) and Angelina Pulu (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School).


The Mustangs would open up a four-point lead at 15-11 on a kill by Alyssa Meihack (Fallon, NV/Churchill County High School) and then expand the lead to five at 21-16 following a service ace from Pulu.


The Thunderwolves would get back to within five, 24-19, before an attack error sealed the set for the Mustangs at 25-19.
CSUP (14-12, 9-8 RMAC) rebounded in the next set, racing out to a 14-10 lead.


After a Mustang timeout, WNMU would get to within two, 17-15, as WNMU scored three straight points behind two T-Wolves errors and a kill from Johnston.


CSUP recovered in time to expand the lead back to five, 22-17 and after Ziona Verhulsdonk (Kailua, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy) came away with a kill, the T-Wolves scored the next three points for a 25-18 set win.


The third set went back-and-forth all the way up until it was tied at 17 when the Mustangs looked to be pulling away.


Malayzha Dinkins (Corona, CA/Santiago High School) stepped into a kill and after Johnston posted a solo block, Verhulsdonk recorded a kill for a 20-17 lead forcing a CSUP timeout.


WNMU would move to set point on a double-block from Meihack and Heather Rux (Cottonwood, AZ/Mingus Union High School), but the T-Wolves refused to go away, ripping off the next three points to tie the set at 24.


After a service error put WNMU back in front, CSUP added a pair of kills to move to set point at 26-25.


Following a Mustang timeout, Johnston delivered a kill to once again tie the set before CSUP came away with two big kills to take the set, 28-26, and a two set to one lead.


The Mustangs came out ready in the fourth set, opening up a quick 6-2 lead on the heels of two kills from Verhulsdonk, some T-Wolves errors and a double-block by Rux and Meihack.


The lead would reach six, 13-7, after an attack error by CSUP.


The T-Wolves kept plugging away, fighting back to tie the set at 23.


Rux put WNMU back in front at that point with a perfectly placed kill.


CSUP responded with a kill of their own to tie it back up at 24 before Pulu pounded a kill and a ball handling error by the T-Wolves gave WNMU the set, 26-24, to tie the match at two.


WNMU scored the first three points in the fifth and decisive set, as Johnston opened the set with a kill and after she added a solo block, Verhulsdonk tallied a kill.


CSUP came back to eventually tie the set at four and after the teams were again tied at five, WNMU would take over for good.
An attack error by CSUP gave WNMU the 6-5 lead and one they wouldn't relinquish.


Verhulsdonk followed with a service ace and later in the set, Pulu delivered a kill to push the lead to four, 12-8, and a CSUP timeout.


A kill by CSUP pulled them within three, but the Mustangs kept with the momentum, as an attack error and bad set by the T-Wolves pushed the Mustangs to match point, 14-9.


The T-Wolves came back with two points of their own leading to a WNMU timeout.


Out of the timeout, a service error went right into the net by the T-Wolves to give WNMU the set, 15-11 and the match, 3-2.
Pulu pounded out 15 kills, while Johnston added 14 of her own to lead the Mustangs.


Meihack, the reigning RMAC Setter of the Week dished out 41 assists.


Four Mustangs were in double-digit digs, led by Pulu's 19, followed by 18 from Marilee Frost (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School), 17 from Meihack and 10 from Verhulsdonk.


WNMU posted 11 blocks to nine for the T-Wolves, as Johnston had six to lead the Mustangs, including two solo blocks. Rux added four with a solo block, while Verhulsdonk had two block assists and Pulu two blocks, with one being solo.


The Mustangs will conclude the regular season tomorrow night when they host Western State for senior night beginning at 7 p.m. WNMU's only senior, Frost will be honored between the second and third sets.

 
 
 
  Western New Mexico def. CSU-Pueblo 25-19,18-25,26-28,26-24,15-11
 
  CSU-Pueblo (14-12, 9-8 RMAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Alea Wildman
  19-0-5; Bernadette Pitre 18-0-6; Ashley Wilkinson 14-0-3; Sierra Moran
  11-0-0; April Gonzales 8-0-0; Kacy Griffin 3-2-2; Totals 73-2-9.0.
  (Assists) - Kacy Griffin 65. (Dig leaders) - Ashley Michel 30; Kacy
  Griffin 12; Michelle Lambayan 11; April Gonzales 10; Sierra Moran 9
 
  Western New Mexico (15-11, 11-6 RMAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Angelina
  Pulu 15-1-2; Jordan Johnston (Boise, ID/Centennial High School) 14-0-6; Heather Rux (Cottonwood, AZ/Mingus Union High School) 9-1-4; Ziona
  Verhulsdonk 8-2-2; Malayzha Dinkins (Corona, CA/Santiago High School) 4-0-0; Alyssa Melhack 2-1-3;
  Taylor Henderson (Pocatello, ID/Century High School) 1-0-1; Totals 53-5-11.0. (Assists) - Alyssa Melhack
  41. (Dig leaders) - Angelina Pulu (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) 19; Marilee Frost (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) 18; Alyssa Melhack
  17; Ziona Verhulsdonk (Kailua, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy) 10
 
  Site: Silver City, NM (Drag's Court)
  Date: Nov 04, 2011   Attend: 559   Time: 2:10