Box Score GOLDEN, Colo. – One point away. The Western New Mexico University volleyball team fought back from down two sets to one to force a fifth set and moved a point away from the victory when No. 16 Colorado Mines reeled off four straight points to take the fifth set and the match, 3-2, (28-26, 17-25, 17-25, 25-23, 14-16) Friday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.


WNMU (17-4, 9-4 RMAC) rallied in the fourth set to set up the deciding fifth set. The Lady Mustangs opened the fifth set with a 10-6 lead after a kill from Bobbi Bayer (Granby, CO/Eddyville Blakesburg ). After CSM (17-4, 11-1 RMAC) came back to within one at 13-12, Angelina Pulu (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) moved the Lady Mustangs just one point away at 14-12 on a kill. The Orediggers then saved match point twice and parlayed that into two more points to pull out the improbable 16-14 set win and match victory.


WNMU started well as they broke open a tight first set to move ahead by three at 16-13 on a kill by Seluia "Ria" Falealili. The lead reached four at 20-16 on a kill by Shannon Rich (Folsom, CA/Folsom) leading to an Oredigger timeout. The Lady Mustangs moved a point away from the set following a kill by Kaysee Pilgrim (Phoenix, AZ/Barry Goldwater) for a 24-23 advantage. CSM would answer back with the next two points to move to set point at 25-24 and again at 26-25 when WNMU closed the set with the next three points as Bayer pounded down two kills and a CSM attack error gave the Lady Mustangs the 28-26 set win.


CSM would come back in the second set, as they moved in front 11-5. WNMU would come back to within three at 18-15 on a double block from Pilgrim and Pulu. CSM would rebound and hold the lead, taking seven of the final nine points for the 25-17 set win to tie the match at one.


The third set was similar, as CSM again moved ahead 11-5. The Lady Mustangs would get as close as four at 16-12 on a kill by Bayer, but the Orediggers would continue with the momentum on their way to taking the set, 25-17, and moving in front 2-1.
WNMU wasn't about to go away quietly, as they jumped out to an 8-4 lead following an attack error. After CSM came back to knot the set at 18, Pilgrim answered with a kill that would keep WNMU in front the rest of the way. WNMU would move a point away from the set at 24-20 on a kill by Bayer and after a 3-0 run by CSM, Bayer ended the set with another one of her 21 kills on the night for the 25-23 set win which sent the match to the deciding fifth.


WNMU hit well in the sets they won, posting a .356 percentage in the opening set (20 kills, four errors in 45 chances) and in the third with a .395 percentage (15 kills, zero errors in 38 chances). Bayer was on fire for the Lady Mustangs with 21 kills to just five errors. Pilgrim added 18 more, tallying a .400 hitting percentage, while Pulu also reached double-figures with 11. Alyssa Meihack (Fallon, NV/Churchill County High School) dished out 55 assists. On defense, Meihack led the way with 27 digs and in blocks, Pilgrim had one solo and eight block assists.


WNMU, now in a tie for third in the RMAC with Colorado Christian, will return home this coming Friday when they will host CSU-Pueblo beginning at 7 p.m. inside Drag's Court.