SILVER CITY, N.M. – The Western New Mexico University volleyball team fought back to take the third set, but Adams State University rallied to complete the win taking the fourth set and the win, 3-1 (25-21, 25-21, 21-25, 25-16) Saturday night in RMAC action inside Drag's Court.


Adams State University (ASU) ran out to a 10-5 lead in the opening set and would hold onto the lead the rest of the set despite some rallies from the Lady Mustangs. Western New Mexico University (WNMU) would fight back to within four a pair of times before breaking through and getting the lead trimmed to two, 23-21, on an attack error. The Lady Grizzlies came back to pound out the next two points taking the set, 25-21.


The second set started out close with ASU (9-1, 2-0 RMAC) again holding a decent lead, this time of four, 16-12, following a bad set. WNMU (4-8, 1-1 RMAC) came back to tie the set at 19 on an attack error. The Lady Grizzlies responded, posting four straight points to open a 23-19 lead on their way to a 25-21 set win and 2-0 match lead.


The Lady Mustangs fought back to stay in the match in the third set, opening a five-point lead midway through the set at 15-10 on a attack error. The lead would expand to eight, 20-12, on another attack error. ASU almost came back, getting to within two, 23-21, when an attack error, followed by a kill from Angelina Pulu (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) gave the Lady Mustangs the set, 25-21.


Heading into the fourth set, WNMU held a 9-6 early lead on a kill from Seluia Falealili. Once the Lady Grizzlies came back to tie the set at 10, the teams would trade several ties over the rest of the set, occurring again at 11, 12, 13, 14 and again at 15 when ASU began to pull away. They reeled off three straight points and after WNMU tallied a point, they went on another run, this time a 7-0 run to close the match with a 25-16 fourth set win.


Pulu powered the offense yet again with 18 kills, while also leading the team in digs with 20. Ziona Verhulsdonk (Kailua, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy) and Falealili added nine kills each, while Alyssa Meihack (Fallon, NV/Churchill County High School) dished out 20 assists to lead the squad. Shelly Wermuth posted the most blocks with five assists, with Shannon Niemeier (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) adding four assists.


WNMU will hit the road next week as they will play at Fort Lewis on Friday with game time set for 7 p.m. in Durango.
 
 Adams State vs Western New Mexico (Sep 15, 2012 at Silver City, NM)
 
  Adams State def. Western New Mexico 25-21,25-21,21-25,25-16
 
  Adams State (9-1, 2-0 RMAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Megan Tapia 14-1-4;
  Letisha Spencer 13-1-0; Deprece Washington 11-0-3; Dominique Davis
  11-1-2; Lindsey Stindt 9-0-0; Gabriella Rifilato 7-0-2; Katherine
  Rifilato 2-1-0; Mikaela Hoelsken 0-0-1; Valerie Garcia 0-1-0; Totals
  67-5-7.0. (Assists) - Gabriella Rifilato 54. (Dig leaders) - Valerie
  Garcia 23; Letisha Spencer 20; Katherine Rifilato 14; Megan Tapia 10;
  Dominique Davis 10; Gabriella Rifilato 9
 
  Western New Mexico (4-8, 1-1 RMAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Angelina Pulu (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School)
  18-1-2; Seluia Falealili 9-0-3; Ziona Verhulsdonk (Kailua, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy) 9-0-3; Destiney
  Mebane 4-0-0; Shelly Wermuth 3-0-5; Shannon Niemeier (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) 3-0-4; Lauren
  Buseman 0-0-2; Totals 46-1-10.0. (Assists) - Alyssa Meihack (Fallon, NV/Churchill County High School) 20;
  Diamond Morrill (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) 18. (Dig leaders) - Angelina Pulu (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) 20; Destiney Mebane (Upland, CA/Etiwanda High School)
  13; Alyssa Meihack (Fallon, NV/Churchill County High School) 12
 
  Site: Silver City, NM (Drag's Court)
  Date: Sep 15, 2012   Attend: 455   Time: 2:01