Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Make it seven straight for the Western New Mexico University volleyball team as they pulled out a five-set win over RMAC opponent Colorado Christian and a four-set win over McMurry to go 4-0 at the I.C. Bhakta Invitational that wrapped up Saturday evening.


In the first match WNMU won the first two sets and then claimed the fourth against McMurry for the 3-1 (25-21, 25-22, 19-25, 25-19) victory. The Lady Mustangs started strong with a 4-0 spurt after a pair of errors and then kills by Bobbi Bayer (Granby, CO/Eddyville Blakesburg ) and Tee Kay Wallace. McMurry would turn the set in their favor, opening a 10-6 lead and would hold the lead until the Lady Mustangs broke a 15-all tie with a kill by Kaysee Pilgrim (Phoenix, AZ/Barry Goldwater). Just like before earlier in the set, the War Hawks fought back to take a 21-17 lead. That would end up being their last lead, as WNMU went on an impressive 8-0 run to not only regain the lead, but take the set, 25-21. During the run, the defense took over with three straight double blocks from Wallace and Angelina Pulu (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) to close the match.


McMurry led 8-4 in the second and would hold the advantage until midway through the set when WNMU broke a 13-all tie with three straight kills by Francquee Acosta (El Paso, TX/Americas) for a 16-13 lead. The War Hawks would tie the score at 21 and again at 22 when WNMU went on a 3-0 run to take the set, 25-22. After a pair of attack errors, Bayer ended the set with a kill.


The third set was close throughout until the final points. WNMU would never hold the lead, although they tied the score at nine on a kill by Acosta and again at 16 on a service ace from Reyna Acosta (Pearl City, HI/Pearl City). From the point on, McMurry closed on a 9-3 run to take the set, 25-19, and force the match to the fourth set.


WNMU posted a 7-3 lead to begin the fourth set and would hold the lead the rest of the way. McMurry would get back to within four a few times, but the Lady Mustangs would continue with the momentum. Pulu helped put WNMU over the hump to seal the win as she scored a pair of points on a kill and then a service ace to carry the Lady Mustangs to the 25-19 set win and 3-1 match victory.


Francquee Acosta (El Paso, TX/Americas) led the Lady Mustangs in kills with 11, while Bayer had nine and Pulu with eight. Alyssa Meihack (Fallon, NV/Churchill County High School) tallied 43 more assists, while Pulu led in digs with 16. Wallace led in blocks with four block assists and one solo. Pulu also had four block assists.


In the final match of the tournament, WNMU faced RMAC opponent Colorado Christian. The teams went toe-to-toe with it coming down to the final set with WNMU winning, 3-2 (25-20, 17-25, 25-16, 24-26, 15-11). WNMU came out of the gates swinging with Shannon Rich (Folsom, CA/Folsom), Bayer and Seluia "Ria" Falealili (Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Poly) tallying kills for a 5-1 lead. Colorado Christian would come back to tie at 14, but that would be the last tie as the Lady Mustangs came away with the next two points on kills from Bayer and Pulu. Bayer closed the set with a kill off an assist from Meihack for the 25-20 set win.


The Cougars moved ahead first in the second set breaking open a close set to take a 10-7 lead early on. After Meihack posted a kill to tie the set at 11, WNMU would watch Colorado Christian regain the lead and not look back. Down the stretch WNMU would only get as close as three on a kill by Lauren Buseman (Eagar, AZ/Round Valley) at 16-13 before the Cougars claimed the set, 25-17, to even the match at one.


WNMU held the advantage in the third set at 13-9 on a kill by Falealili. After Colorado Christian scored the next two points, WNMU reeled off three straight on kills from Pulu and Falealili before a bad set gave the Lady Mustangs a 17-11 lead. Colorado Christian would get as close as four a few times, but WNMU had the answer going on to take the set, 25-16, and the match lead at 2-1.


Just like the third set, WNMU moved out to a decent lead midway through the fourth set at 12-9 on a kill by Pulu. After Colorado Christian scored the next three points to tie the set at 12, the teams would tie seven more times with neither team opening up more than a one-point lead. At 19-all, WNMU stretched the lead to 21-19 on a service ace by Keirsa Pakani-Tsukiyama (Hilo, HI/Waiakea). They would hold the lead at two again at 22-20 on a kill by Falealili before the Cougars called a timeout and then responded with the next four points to move to set point at 24-22. WNMU came back with a kill by Bayer and then a double-block from Pilgrim and Meihack to tie things back up at 24. Colorado Christian had the last answer with two kills from Ali Weber to take the set, 26-24, and move the match to the last set.


The teams were tied at four early in the final set when three Colorado Christian errors moved WNMU in front, 7-4, and it would be a lead they wouldn't relinquish. The lead moved to six at 11-5 on another attack error. The Cougars made one last run getting as close as 12-10 when WNMU won three of the final four points to take the set and the match, 15-11. Pulu accounted for two of the points on kills and Destiney Mebane (Upland, CA/Etiwanda High School) added the other kill.


Pulu and Falealil each collected 17 kills to lead the way with Bayer adding 13. Meihack accumulated 58 assists and again Pulu led the team in digs with 27. Pilgrim had five block assists to lead the way.


WNMU, now 7-1 on the season, will prepare for RMAC play this coming week as they will travel to Gunnison and Alamosa to face Western State on Friday at 7 p.m. and then Adams State on Saturday at 3 p.m.