Box Score PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Western New Mexico University volleyball team jumped ahead two sets Friday night before Arizona Christian University came back to take the next three sets for the 3-2 (25-16, 25-15, 23-25, 21-25, 16-18) victory.

WNMU (2-4) raced out to a 14-8 lead in the first set with a double-block by senior Lauren Buseman (Eagar, AZ/Round Valley) and freshman Morgan Lyneis (Victorville, CA/Apple Valley). ACU (5-3) came back to within four at 17-13, but that would be as close as they would get with the Lady Mustangs closing the set on a 8-3 run that was sealed by a Buseman kill for the 25-16 opening set win.

The second set was tied at eight when the Lady Mustangs quickly jumped ahead 21-10 following a 13-2 run. Junior Allison Lemnitzer (Phoenix, AZ/Valley Lutheran), junior Leeta Grap (Kamuela, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy), freshman Kelli McGhiey (Pearl City, HI/Sacred Hearts Academy ), freshman Heather Verrill (Barstow, CA/Barstow ) and Lyneis all contributed points during the run. McGhiey posted a kill and a double-block by Lemnitzer and sophomore Shannon Rich (Folsom, CA/Folsom) accounted for the last two points for the 25-15 second set win and 2-0 match lead.

Neither team could break away in the third. With the set tied at 21, WNMU took a 22-21 lead on an error. The Firestorm would come back to tie and then take the lead for good ending the set on a 4-1 run for a 25-23 set win.

ACU was ready to roll in the fourth, pushing ahead 8-1 early. An attack error later in the set helped bring WNMU back to within four at 17-13. The comeback attempt would continue with a kill by freshman Kylie Fraga (Kennewick, WA/Southridge) bringing the Lady Mustangs to within two at 22-20. The Firestorm would hold off the rally, coming through with a kill, double-block and later another kill for a 25-21 set win to send the match to a decisive fifth.

Grap had the Lady Mustangs in good shape in the fifth, as her service ace gave WNMU a 9-5 lead. ACU would come back out of a timeout to tie the set at nine. WNMU would then go on a little run to push in front, 13-10. The Firestorm answered to go ahead 15-14, just to watch the Lady Mustangs tie on a double-block by Verrill and Buseman and go in front on a kill by Rich. That would be the final lead of the match for WNMU, with ACU taking the next three points for the 18-16 set win and 3-2 match victory.

WNMU hit a sizzling .500 percent (10 kills to one error in 18 chances) in the first set and a .346 percent (11 kills to two errors in 26 chances) in the second set. But were held to near or below .100 over the final three sets.

Verrill reached double-digits in kills with 10, while she also added a solo block and three block assists. Fraga posted 24 assists and seven digs. Junior Barbara Soranzo (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil/Mestre Santa Barbara) led the way in digs with 10.

The Firestorm were led by 17 kills from Brenna Bailey and had 14 team blocks to nine for WNMU. WNMU will remain in Phoenix on Saturday when they will play William Jessup beginning at 2 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.