SILVER CITY, N.M. – Fort Lewis College gave the Western New Mexico University volleyball team quite the scare Saturday night as the Lady Mustangs pulled out the fifth set for the 3-2 victory (22-25, 25-14, 25-20, 20-25, 15-7) in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play to remain unbeaten in conference matches.
FLC (4-12, 1-7 RMAC) came out strong in the opening set as they quickly held a 15-9 lead. WNMU (14-3, 9-0 RMAC) worked their way back into the set getting to within two points a couple of times with the last coming at 24-22 on a kill by
Shannon Rich (Folsom, CA/Folsom). The Skyhawks, though, kept their composure to grab the next point on a kill by Matisse Monty to claim the first set, 25-22.
The Lady Mustangs responded in the second set. Holding an 11-8 lead, WNMU went on a 7-0 run to put the set away. During the run WNMU received points from
Morgan Lyneis (Victorville, CA/Apple Valley),
Sheila Menezes (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Escola Estadual Prof. Antonio Ablas Filho),
Melanie Hughes (Riverside, CA/Martin Luther King Jr.) and a pair of aces by Hughes capped the run. After FLC had a late run, a bad set by the Skyhawks gave WNMU the 25-14 second set win to even the match at one.
The third set hung in the balance, with WNMU holding just a slight 21-19 lead. Lyneis came through with a key kill to help ignite a 4-1 run down the stretch as
Leeta Grap (Kamuela, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy) finished it off for the Lady Mustangs with a kill to take the third set at 25-20.
The Skyhawks refused to go away in the fourth. With WNMU in front by just a point at 19-18, FLC came on strong scoring seven of the next eight points to suddenly come back and grab the fourth set at 25-20 and send the match to a decisive fifth.
The Lady Mustangs left no doubt in the fifth. Ahead 5-4, WNMU went on a 10-3 run to win the final set going away at 15-7. Lyneis, just like in set three, delivered a key momentum swinging kill to help start the run. Menezes then came through with a solo block and a pair of kills before an attack error by FLC gave WNMU the set.
WNMU's defense continues to shine limiting FLC to just a .057 (45-35-174) hitting percentage and recording 10 blocks. In turn, WNMU held a .167 hitting percentage (60-32-168). Grap had a big night offensively going for 19 kills and posting a .260 hitting percentage.
Heather Verrill (Barstow, CA/Barstow ) added 10 kills, while Rich collected nine.
Chyler Imai (Kapaau, HI/Kohala) and
Opal Drapeau (Denver, CO/Bishop Machebeuf Catholic ) led the way in assists tallying 19 and 18, respectively. On defense,
Ashley Mataele (Laie, HI/Kahuku) accumulated 25 digs, while Grap added 20 and in blocking, Menezes and Rich each had five with Menezes coming away with two solo blocks.
Monty led FLC with 15 kills and Hannah Hargrove added eight blocks, with one solo.
WNMU will hit the road this coming week as they will play at UC-Colorado Springs on Friday beginning at 7 p.m. before closing the trip on Saturday against MSU Denver at 4 p.m.
