Box Score

PUEBLO, Colo. – The Western New Mexico volleyball team held a two sets to one advantage against CSU-Pueblo, before the Thunderwolves came back to take the next two sets and the match, 3-2 (20-25, 25-18, 25-22, 23-25, 9-15), over the Mustangs Saturday afternoon.

CSU-Pueblo (8-5, 4-1 RMAC) opened the first set on a 6-0 run before WNMU (7-6, 3-2 RMAC) came back to eventually take the lead at 11-10 on an attack error by CSU-Pueblo.

A kill by Heather Rux (Cottonwood, AZ/Mingus Union High School) would help the Mustangs tie the set at 16, before the Thunderwolves scored the next four points and would eventually go on to win the set, 25-20.

WNMU held a 6-4 lead early on in the second set and would expand the lead thanks to a kill by Jordan Johnston (Boise, ID/Centennial High School) and another by Rux for an 8-4 lead. After a timeout by CSUP, they would score the next point, but WNMU would turn the three-point gap into an eight-point lead at 15-7, which was ignited by a kill from Rux and after Taylor Henderson (Pocatello, ID/Century High School) came away with a kill, Rux tallied another kill for the big lead.

The Thunderwolves would get to within five at 22-17, before WNMU would put the set away, collecting points on a service error, a kill by Rux and an attack error by Janae Heiser to give WNMU the set, 25-18.

The third set was tight throughout, with the score tied at almost every juncture before WNMU began to pull away with the score tied at 20. A pair of attack errors bolstered the Mustang lead to 22-20 and after a kill for CSUP, Angelina Pulu (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) delivered a kill and a service ace for a 24-21 lead. CSUP would tally a kill on the next point, before a kill by Johnston sealed the set for WNMU and a 2-1 lead.

The Mustangs trailed throughout in the fourth set, getting the match back to within a point, 21-20, on a kill by Rux, but after a timeout by CSUP, the Thunderwolves would reel off the next three points to make it 24-20. WNMU refused to go away, scoring the next three points, with Destiny Mebane posting a kill, an attack error by Alea Wildman and a kill by Rux left it a 24-23 and a CSUP timeout. Out of the timeout, the Thunderwolves delivered a kill to take the set and tie the match at two.

CSUP came out on fire in the decisive fifth set, scoring the first five points. An attack error by Sierra Moran gave the Mustangs their first point of the match. Marille Frost would then post a service ace and after another attack error, WNMU was back to within two, 5-3. The teams would trade the next two points and then CSUP would expand the lead to 8-4. A kill by Pulu on the next point trimmed the deficit to three, 8-5, and that would be as close as WNMU would get, with CSUP taking the final set, 15-9.

Pulu and Rux tied for the most kills with 16, while Johnston added 14. Alyssa Melhack added 47 assists, while Pulu led the team with 24 digs and Frost added 23. Frost also added three service aces.

WNMU will return home this coming Friday when they will host Fort Lewis inside Drags Court with the first serve set for 7 p.m.

                            Short Box Score (Match)

         Western New Mexico vs CSU-Pueblo (Sep 24, 2011 at Pueblo, CO)

 

 CSU-Pueblo def. Western New Mexico 25-20,18-25,22-25,25-23,15-9

 

 Western New Mexico (7-6 (3-2 RMAC)) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Angelina

 Pulu 16-1-2; Heather Rux (Cottonwood, AZ/Mingus Union High School) 16-0-4; Jordan Johnston (Boise, ID/Centennial High School) 14-0-4; Ziona

 Verhulsdonk 6-0-1; Destiny Mebane 5-0-1; Alyssa Melhack 5-0-1; Taylor

 Henderson 1-0-1; Marilee Frost (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) 1-3-0; Totals 64-4-8.0. (Assists) -

 Alyssa Melhack 47. (Dig leaders) - Angelina Pulu (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) 24; Marilee Frost (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) 23;

 Alyssa Melhack 14; Kassie Kagawa (Hilo, HI/Waiakea High School) 11

 

 CSU-Pueblo (8-5 (4-1 RMAC)) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Janae Heiser 16-0-1;

 Bernadette Pitre 16-0-4; Sierra Moran 14-1-2; Angela McAdams 10-0-4;

 Alea Wildman 9-0-4; Kacy Griffin 1-2-2; Ashley Michel 1-0-0; Ashley

 Wilkinson 1-0-0; Michelle Lambayan 0-1-0; Totals 68-4-8.5. (Assists) -

 Kacy Griffin 56. (Dig leaders) - Ashley Michel 33; Janae Heiser 15;

 Sierra Moran 14; Michelle Lambayan 11

 

 Site: Pueblo, CO (Massari Arena)

 Date: Sep 24, 2011   Attend: 220   Time: 2:03   

 Referees: Nancy Holm, Glen Stull