SILVER CITY, N.M. – Following a road victory this past Saturday, the Western New Mexico University volleyball team will look to carry that momentum into this weekend's home contests against Colorado State University-Pueblo and Western State Colorado University. Fans are encouraged to wear purple on Saturday for a Purple Out.
First up on Friday night at 7 p.m. will be a matchup with the ThunderWolves. CSU-Pueblo comes in with an 11-9 overall record and 5-5 mark in the RMAC. They have gone 2-2 in their last four RMAC matches defeating Fort Lewis and Western State, both by scores of 3-1, while dropping their last two at Adams State (0-3) and Colorado Christian (2-3) this past Tuesday. They held a 2-0 lead in that match at Colorado Christian before the Cougars rallied for the victory.
On offense, five players have at least 100 kills led by 278 from Mariangel Perez. Morgan Wilkening (192), Oni Lattin (137), Megan Schultz (127) and Alex Winkler (107) round out the group with 100-plus kills. Alex Sansavera (396) and Jordan Bruere (368) have both setup the offense this season leading the team in assists. On defense, five players have over 100 digs led by Katie Burnett (317). Wilkening (240) and Perez (238) have over 200, while Bruere (179) and Sansavera (169) are close to 200 in digs each. Lattin (88) and Winkler (85) lead the way in blocks.
Last season, WNMU won both matches against the ThunderWolves. They claimed a 3-1 win in Pueblo and then a 3-0 win in Silver City.
On Saturday also at 7 p.m. the Lady Mustangs will welcome in the Mountaineers. WSCU is 0-14 overall and 0-10 in the conference. They will play at New Mexico Highlands on Friday before traveling down to Silver City. Even though the Mountaineers are winless, they have come close in several matches. They went five sets with both Black Hills State and Fort Lewis, while also claiming sets against UC-Colorado Springs, Colorado Mines, Colorado Christian, Newman and CSU-Pueblo.
Jordan Eatwell leads the offense with 108 kills, as she is the only one over 100. Tepora Su'a has 386 assists. On defense, Morgan Stansberry has 232 digs, while Hailey Rehage has 23 blocks. WSCU has hit .100 as a team, while opponents have hit .239.
WNMU also won both against WSCU last year with a 3-1 win in Gunnison and then a 3-0 victory in Silver City.
WNMU has won two of their last three with victories against Fort Lewis and Adams State. The Lady Mustangs are 6-11 overall and 3-7 in the RMAC.
Leeta Grap (Kamuela, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy) leads three Lady Mustangs with over 100 kills with 150.
Heather Verrill (Barstow, CA/Barstow ) has added 131, while
Shannon Rich (Folsom, CA/Folsom) has 118.
Sheila Menezes (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Escola Estadual Prof. Antonio Ablas Filho) is one short of 100 with 99 so far on the season. Three players have all seen time this season as the main setters for the Lady Mustangs with
Kylie Fraga (Kennewick, WA/Southridge) leading with 258 assists.
Melanie Hughes (Riverside, CA/Martin Luther King Jr.) has 162, while
Opal Drapeau (Denver, CO/Bishop Machebeuf Catholic ) has 77. Four players have over 100 digs led by 186 from
Barbara Soranzo (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil/Mestre Santa Barbara). Grap has 178, while Fraga has added 118 and Menezes with 113. Verrill has 73 blocks to lead the team, while Rich has 64.
In terms of the RMAC standings, CSU-Pueblo is tied with Black Hills State for the eighth and final conference tournament spot. WNMU and New Mexico Highlands are tied for 10
th with 3-7 RMAC marks, just 1.5 games back of the final slot and just two back of both Adams State and UC-Colorado Springs, both currently tied for sixth.
As far as individual rankings in the RMAC, Verrill is ninth in hitting percentage (.304), Hughes is ninth in service aces (15, 0.29 per set), Verrill is sixth in blocks per set (1.09), Rich is eighth in blocks per set (0.97). WNMU as a team is third in hitting percentage by opponents holding teams to a 1.48 percentage.
Live stats and video will be available for both matches.
