Box Score GUNNISON, Colo. – Western State Colorado University hit over .300 percent in the first set and carried that over for the rest of the match as they defeated the Western New Mexico University volleyball team, 3-0 (25-16, 26-24, 25-17) Friday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.
In the opening set, following an attack error to tie the set at three and then a kill from
Sheila Menezes (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Escola Estadual Prof. Antonio Ablas Filho) retied it at four, WSCU (1-20, 1-16 RMAC) went on a 6-0 run to claim a 10-4 lead they wouldn't relinquish. WNMU (10-14, 7-10 RMAC) would get back to within eight a few times, but Western State tallied 14 kills and hit .310 to claim the first set, 25-16.
The second set appeared to be heading the same way. After fighting back to get to within five at 19-14, the Lady Mountaineers went on a 4-1 run to move to 23-15 and then after three Lady Mustang points, they moved to set point at 24-17. WNMU then came alive ripping off the next seven points to tie the set.
Leeta Grap (Kamuela, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy) started the run with a kill and would add another kill later on. WNMU also benefited from three attack errors and a bad set before
Allison Lemnitzer (Phoenix, AZ/Valley Lutheran) recorded a service ace to knot the set at 24. WSCU would regroup coming away with a pair of points off serves as WNMU committed a service error and then a service ace by the Lady Mountaineers pushed them to the 26-24 set win and 2-0 match lead.
In the third set, WSCU again built an early lead, this time at 7-3. Another run by the Lady Mountaineers would follow, a 6-2 variety, to take a 13-5 lead. WNMU would tally the next three points with kills from
Taryn Schriner (Dayton, NV/Dayton ) and Grap before an attack error had it at 13-8. Grap would later help bring the Lady Mustangs back to within five with a kill at 14-9 when WSCU would take over the rest of the set on their way to taking the 25-17 third set win and 3-0 match victory.
Grap led the offense with 10 kills and added six digs.
Melanie Hughes (Riverside, CA/Martin Luther King Jr.) dished out 14 assists, while on defense Menezes tallied seven digs and both
Shannon Rich (Folsom, CA/Folsom) and
Lauren Buseman (Eagar, AZ/Round Valley) collected two blocks apiece.
Jordan Eatwell led WSCU and all players with 15 kills.
With the loss, WNMU is now in a three-way tie for eighth with UC-Colorado Springs winning and Black Hills State losing. CSU-Pueblo bested New Mexico Highlands in four to claim the fifth seed, while both Colorado Christian and Adams State were defeated and remain tied for sixth with 8-9 RMAC records.
The Lady Mustangs are now faced with a must-win against CSU-Pueblo Saturday night at 7 p.m. as UC-Colorado Springs and Black Hills State will face each other on Saturday with the winner moving to eight conference wins and if WNMU doesn't win, they will be left with seven and would finish just outside of a tournament spot. With a win, WNMU would still have a chance to get as high as six depending on how everyone else play's Saturday night.
