SILVER CITY, N.M. – The Western New Mexico University volleyball team grabbed the opening set before Colorado Mesa University came back strong to take the next three sets and the match over the Lady Mustangs, 3-1 (25-22, 13-25, 21-25, 12-25) Friday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action inside Drag's Court.


Colorado Mesa University (CMU) held the early 7-5 in the first set before Western New Mexico University (WNMU) came storming back. WNMU (13-13, 10-6 RMAC) came back to tie the set at 12 on a kill from Angelina Pulu (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) and later moved the lead to five, 20-15, on a kill by Seluia “Ria” Falealili. CMU (15-10, 9-8 RMAC) would get back to within one, 23-22, which prompted a Lady Mustang timeout. Out of the break, Ziona Verhulsdonk (Kailua, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy) pounded a kill and then Lauren Buseman (Eagar, AZ/Round Valley) and Falealili combined for a double-block to take the opening set, 25-22.


The Mavericks were in control early and often in the second set, racing out to a 14-6 lead. WNMU would trim the deficit to four, 15-11, on a kill by Destiney Mebane (Upland, CA/Etiwanda High School), but CMU closed the set on a 10-2 run to take the second, 25-13, and even the match at a set apiece.


The third was nip-and-tuck through the early parts, as the teams were tied at 15 when the Mavericks went on a 5-0 run for the 20-15 forcing a WNMU timeout. The Lady Mustangs would tally the next point on a kill from Falealili, but CMU would counter with the next two points and wouldn't look back taking the third as well, 25-21, to take the 2-1 match lead.


The fourth set quickly swung to CMU, as the teams were tied at three when the Mavericks went on a 6-0 run for the 9-3 lead. WNMU would get to within four, 9-5, following an attack error, but CMU answered with an 11-1 run to open a 20-6 advantage. WNMU would tally a 4-0 run on three attack errors and a kill from Pulu to get within 21-11, but CMU closed on a 4-1 run to take the set, 25-12, and the match, 3-1.


Verhulsdonk led the team in kills with nine, followed by eight from Falealili and seven from Heather Rux (Cottonwood, AZ/Mingus Union High School). Alyssa Meihack (Fallon, NV/Churchill County High School) tallied 34 assists and Pulu led the team in digs with 15. Verhulsdonk also had four block-assists, while Shelley Wermuth (San Diego, CA/Mt. Carmel) had a solo block and two assists.


Errors and blocks were the story with CMU posting a .176 hitting percentage, 47 kills to 23 errors, while WNMU had 40 kills to 41 errors (-.007). CMU tallied 16 blocks to seven for WNMU.


WNMU will look to get back on the winning track Saturday night when they host Fort Lewis College with gametime set for 6 p.m. It will be senior night for Rux and Verhulsdonk, as they will be honored between the second and third set break.


 
  Colorado Mesa Univ. def. Western New Mexico 22-25,25-13,25-21,25-12
 
  Colorado Mesa Univ. (15-10, 9-8 RMAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Christian
  Otzen 14-0-2; Melissa Hess 11-0-4; Abby Ney 6-2-7; Kelly Regimbal
  5-0-4; Rebecca Sellers 5-0-4; Jordyn Moody 2-0-3; Audrey Steinkirchner
  2-0-0; Haleigh Higgins 1-0-0; Rachael Beaty 1-0-2; Megan Rush 0-2-0;
  Totals 47-4-16.0. (Assists) - Jordyn Moody 31. (Dig leaders) - Megan
  Rush 14; Jordyn Moody 12; Christian Otzen 10; Tiffany Petersen 8
 
  Western New Mexico (13-13, 10-6 RMAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Ziona
  Verhulsdonk 9-0-4; Seluia Falealili 8-0-1; Heather Rux (Cottonwood, AZ/Mingus Union High School) 7-0-2; Angelina
  Pulu 6-0-1; Destiney Mebane (Upland, CA/Etiwanda High School) 4-1-0; Alyssa Meihack (Fallon, NV/Churchill County High School) 3-0-0; Keirsa
  Pakani-Tsukiy 1-0-0; Shelley Wermuth (San Diego, CA/Mt. Carmel) 1-0-3; Lauren Buseman (Eagar, AZ/Round Valley) 1-0-2;
  Kassie Kagawa (Hilo, HI/Waiakea High School) 0-2-0; Totals 40-3-7.0. (Assists) - Alyssa Meihack (Fallon, NV/Churchill County High School) 34.
  (Dig leaders) - Angelina Pulu (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) 15; Destiney Mebane (Upland, CA/Etiwanda High School) 12; Alyssa Meihack (Fallon, NV/Churchill County High School) 8
 
  Site: Silver City, NM (Drag's Court)
  Date: Nov 02, 2012   Attend: 315   Time: 1:45