Box Score SILVER CITY, N.M. – The No. 13 team in the country proved worthy of their ranking as Colorado Mesa University used a .355 hitting percentage to defeat the Western New Mexico University volleyball team, 3-0, (25-17, 25-13, 25-15) Saturday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.
In the first set, WNMU (10-13, 7-9 RMAC) came back to tie CMU (22-3, 15-1 RMAC) early on at three. Kills from
Sheila Menezes (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Escola Estadual Prof. Antonio Ablas Filho) and
Lauren Buseman (Eagar, AZ/Round Valley) had the Lady Mustangs just a point back at 7-6. Following a kill by
Kelli McGhiey (Pearl City, HI/Sacred Hearts Academy ) at 12-10, the Lady Mavericks would control the rest of the set going on a 5-0 run on their way to taking the set, 25-17.
The second set was similar to the first with WNMU pulling ahead at 7-6 with
Morgan Lyneis (Victorville, CA/Apple Valley) and
Heather Verrill (Barstow, CA/Barstow ) posting kills. After getting back to within one at 12-11 on a service error by CMU, the Lady Mavericks would go on an 11-0 run on their way to claiming the set, 25-13.
CMU came out on fire to start the third, jumping ahead 5-0.
Leeta Grap (Kamuela, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy) would get the Lady Mustangs to within four at 8-4 on a kill, but it would be too much Lady Mavericks. A 10-4 run had CMU ahead, 18-8, and after WNMU came back to cut the deficit to single digits with a double-block by Verrill and Grap and a kill by Grap, the Lady Mavericks would go on to take the set, 25-15, and the match, 3-0.
Grap led the Lady Mustangs with six kills, while
Melanie Hughes (Riverside, CA/Martin Luther King Jr.) (11) and
Opal Drapeau (Denver, CO/Bishop Machebeuf Catholic ) (10) led in assists. On defense, Menezes tallied eight digs, while
Shannon Rich (Folsom, CA/Folsom) and Verrill had three blocks apiece.
Casey Ball led CMU and all players with 15 kills.
WNMU is now tied with Black Hills State for the eighth and final RMAC Tournament spot entering the final weekend of the regular season. The Lady Mustangs are two games back of CSU-Pueblo in fifth, and a game back of both Adams State and Colorado Christian in sixth. UC-Colorado Springs is also just a game back of the final spot with a 6-10 conference record.
It was senior night for Buseman as she was honored between the second and third sets.
WNMU will hit the road this coming week as they will play at Western State Colorado University on Friday night at 7 p.m.
