Box Score GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – After dropping the opening set, it was smooth sailing over the next three sets as the Western New Mexico University volleyball team dominated sets two through four to defeat Colorado Mesa University, 3-1, (18-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-19) Friday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action inside Brownson Arena.


WNMU (20-5, 12-4 RMAC) jumped out to a 6-3 lead in the first set off a kill by Kaysee Pilgrim (Phoenix, AZ/Barry Goldwater). Ahead 9-6, CMU (19-7, 11-6 RMAC) came back with a 5-0 run to open an 11-9 lead. They would later stretch the lead to 17-10 and the Lady Mustangs would get as close as four following a double-block by Seluia "Ria" Falealili and Kaysee Pilgrim (Phoenix, AZ/Barry Goldwater) at 19-15 when the Mavericks closed on a 6-3 run to take the opening set, 25-18.


Ahead just 15-14 in the second set, WNMU broke open what was a close set with a quick 6-0 run. During the stretch, Shannon Rich (Folsom, CA/Folsom), Falealili with two and Alyssa Meihack (Fallon, NV/Churchill County High School) with two all had kills, while Falealili and Rich combined for a double-block to give the Lady Mustangs a 21-14 lead. WNMU moved a point away on a kill by Bobbi Bayer (Granby, CO/Eddyville Blakesburg ) for a 24-17 lead and after CMU posted the next three points, Pilgrim closed the set with a kill for the 25-20 set win to tie the match at one.


It was a similar story in the third set, with the teams staying within a few points of each other when WNMU moved in front by four at 12-8 on a kill by Angelina Pulu (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School). WNMU would hold the lead the rest of the way, although the Mavericks tried to chip away, they weren't able to overtake the Lady Mustangs. CMU made one last run when they fought back to tie at 21, but after a WNMU timeout, a service error and then attack error moved the Lady Mustangs just two points from the set at 23-21. Following a Maverick timeout, Pilgrim and Pulu pounded kills to give WNMU the 25-21 set win and 2-1 match lead.


The fourth set looked to be swinging toward the Mavs when they took a 15-14 lead. From that point on, WNMU responded and in a big way behind a 10-0 run that put them just a point away from the set and the match. During the impressive run, Bayer helped the Lady Mustangs draw even, she would later added another kill and after Pilgrim added three of her own, Bayer closed the run with another kill as WNMU also received four points on CMU errors. The Mavs would reel off the next four points before Falealili closed the set and the match with a kill for the 25-19 set win and 3-1 match victory.


WNMU's hitting improved as the match went along, as after opening with a .098, the Lady Mustangs tallied 17 kills (.324 hitting percentage) in the second, 15 kills (.378 hitting percentage) in the third and then 17 kills (.238 hitting percentage) in the fourth. Pilgrim hit well all night as she led the team with 17 kills and had just four errors in 30 swings for a .433 hitting percentage. Falealili added 14 kills and Pulu had 12. Meihack, the reigning RMAC Setter of the Week, dished out 48 assists, while on defense, Meihack had 15 digs, Pulu with 12 and Rich had five block assists.


The win was big for the Lady Mustangs as it helped them split the season series with CMU and they are now alone in second place in the RMAC, as Regis lost to Colorado Mines to fall to 11-5. WNMU also pulled out a win over team that is ahead of them in the South Central Region rankings as CMU came in seventh. The Lady Mustangs reached 20 wins for the first time since 2008 when they went 20-8.


WNMU will look to continue their momentum when they play at Fort Lewis College in Durango Saturday night with gametime set for 7 p.m. The Skyhawks are currently eighth in the RMAC with an 8-8 conference mark.