Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 AUSTIN, Tex. – The Western New Mexico University volleyball team cruised past Merrimack in the first match of the day and then outlasted host St. Edward's in the second match Saturday to finish the Hilltopper/Rattler Classic at 3-1.


The first match of the day was dominated by the Lady Mustangs as senior Bobbi Bayer (Granby, CO/Eddyville Blakesburg ) and freshman Kaysee Pilgrim (Phoenix, AZ/Barry Goldwater) combined for 27 kills to lead WNMU to the 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-16) victory over Merrimack. The opening set remained close until a kill by freshman Shannon Rich (Folsom, CA/Folsom) would ignite an 8-1 run for a 15-7 lead. During the run, Pilgrim reeled off four of her match-high 14 kills and also added a double-block with junior Lauren Buseman (Eagar, AZ/Round Valley). The lead would get as big as 10 a couple of times with the last coming at 21-11 on an attack error. Senior Angelina Pulu (Long Beach, CA/Robert A. Millikan High School) closed the set with a kill for the 25-20 win.


The second set opened up early for WNMU with Rich collecting a kill for the early 9-3 edge. The lead extended to seven at 13-6 on a kill from Pilgrim. The Lady Mustangs kept the comfortable lead the rest of the set, pushing the lead to 10 on a pair of occasions before closing the set on an attack error by Merrimack for the 25-15 set win and 2-0 match lead.


The third set was much closer, with WNMU holding an early four-point lead at 9-5 on a kill from Pilgrim, but Merrimack would come back to within one at 14-13. After pulling to within one again at 15-14, the Lady Mustangs began to pull away on a solo block by Pulu. Pilgrim added to that block a kill to push the lead to three, 17-14. Later, a 6-0 run put the set away with Pilgrim starting the run with a kill, three straight double-blocks from Pilgrim and Seluia "Ria" Falealili (Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Poly) and then kills from Pilgrim and Falealili had the Lady Mustangs ahead 23-15. After a Merrimack point, Pulu knocked down a kill and an attack error gave WNMU the 25-16 set win and 3-0 match victory.


Pilgrim led the offensive attack with 14 kills, while Bayer added 13. Rich had eight and Pulu added seven. Senior Alyssa Meihack (Fallon, NV/Churchill County High School) dished out 33 assists, while four Lady Mustangs had six digs each (Pulu, Bayer, sophomore Keirsa Pakani-Tsukiyama (Hilo, HI/Waiakea) and senior Kassie Kagawa (Hilo, HI/Waiakea High School)). Pilgrim also led in block assists with five, followed by four from Falealili.


In the second and final match of the tournament, St. Edward's and WNMU went toe-to-toe lasting five sets before the Lady Mustangs pulled out the victory, 3-2 (14-25, 25-17, 25-21, 27-29, 22-20).


St. Edward's opened the first set and held the lead nearly throughout. WNMU came back to tie the set at six on a kill by Meihack, but that would be the only tie of the set. WNMU would get back within one at 9-8 on a double-block from Meihack and Pilgrim. St. Edward's would answer with a 4-0 run and never looked back on their way to taking the set, 25-14.


The Lady Mustangs flipped the script in the second set as this time they took control in the set and kept it throughout. Lauren Buseman (Eagar, AZ/Round Valley) started an 8-0 run to push the Lady Mustangs ahead 18-9. During the run, Rich and Buseman tallied a double-block, Destiney Mebane (Upland, CA/Etiwanda High School) served a couple of aces, Bayer had two kills and one from Rich before an attack error capped the run. WNMU would hold the lead comfortably the rest of the way on their way to a 25-17 win to tie the match at one set each.


ST. Edward's started the third set just like they did the first holding the lead from the start until WNMU went on a 4-0 run to tie things at 10 as Pilgrim and Buseman combined for a double-block. WNMU took their first lead at 14-13 on a kill from Bayer. With the set tied again at 18, Pilgrim and Francquee Acosta (El Paso, TX/Americas) recorded kills to push the advantage to two, 20-18. WNMU would lead the rest of the way, closing the set with a kill from Bayer for the 25-21 set win and 2-1 match lead.


The fourth set was back-and-forth over the first 18 points with the teams tied at nine when a ball handling error and a kill from Reyna Acosta (Pearl City, HI/Pearl City) pushed WNMU ahead, 11-9. The lead reached three at 15-12 on a kill from Rich. The Hilltoppers went on a 3-0 run to come back and tie things at 15. The teams would then tie 11 times pushing the set into extra time when a block error and a kill for St. Edward's gave the Hilltoppers a 29-27 fourth set win to tie the match at two.


The fifth set was just like the fourth with the teams trading big play after big play. St. Edward's held the first two-point lead at 11-9. WNMU answered with points from Falealili and Bayer to tie at 11. The teams would then stay within a point of each other for the next several points sending the fifth set also into extra time. With each team being one point from the win several times, WNMU finally made their move at 20-all on a kill from Bayer and then an attack error by St. Edward's gave the Lady Mustangs the 22-20 fifth set win and 3-2 match victory.


Bayer led the way with 18 kills, followed by 12 kills from Rich. Meihack added 50 assists, while Pulu posted 24 digs, 23 from Meihack and five block assists from Pilgrim.


WNMU, now 3-1 on the early season, will head to Las Vegas, N.M. this coming Friday and Saturday to participate in the I.C. Bhakta Invitational.