Box Score GOLDEN, Colo. – Despite a .246 hitting percentage and coming close in every set, it wouldn't be enough against No. 18 Colorado School of Mines Friday night as the Orediggers took the 3-0 (25-20, 26-24, 25-23) Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory.
The game had big implications when it comes to the top of the RMAC standings as CSM (18-5, 12-2 RMAC) now moves two matches ahead of WNMU (15-7, 10-4 RMAC) in the Mountain Division with four conference matches left to play. In the Rocky Division, MSU Denver and Colorado Mesa each moved to 11-3 in RMAC play and are tied for second. WNMU is tied with UC-Colorado Springs and Regis for fourth as the top eight teams regardless of division qualify for the RMAC Tournament.
The Lady Mustangs collected 47 kills and hit .246 (47-17-122), but the Orediggers countered with a .325 clip (52-13-120).
Near the midway point of the first set WNMU held a 12-9 lead with
Morgan Lyneis (Victorville, CA/Apple Valley) posting a kill before a pair of errors by CSM boosted the lead to three. Still in front 18-17 on an attack error, CSM responded with a 4-0 run to take a 21-18 advantage. A kill by
Shannon Rich (Folsom, CA/Folsom) followed to pull the Lady Mustangs back to within two, but that would be as close as they would get the rest of the set. A 4-1 run down the stretch helped give the Orediggers the 25-20 set win.
The second set saw big swings in momentum for both teams. CSM looked to be on cruise control as they were in front 14-6.
Kalie Lyle (Phoenix, AZ/Sandra Day O' Connor ) came off the bench and sparked the Lady Mustangs as she posted a string of kills to help WNMU on the comeback trail.
Leeta Grap (Kamuela, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy), Rich and Lyle combined for key kills several points later that had WNMU all the way back to within one at 19-18. A Lyle kill knotted the set at 21 when an attack error and service ace by
Melanie Hughes (Riverside, CA/Martin Luther King Jr.) had WNMU in front at 23-21. CSM responded out of a timeout as they scored the next three points to move to set point at 24-23.
Heather Verrill (Barstow, CA/Barstow ) prolonged the set with a kill before a pair of kills by the Orediggers gave them the set at 26-24.
Taryn Schriner (Dayton, NV/Dayton ) had WNMU in front 6-4 in the third set following a kill. The teams would go back-and-forth when a Lyneis kill helped ignite a 4-1 run with Rich adding a kill around a pair of CSM errors to move the WNMU lead to four at 18-14. The Orediggers called timeout and answered with a 6-1 run to take a 20-19 lead. Lyle and Verrill delivered a pair of kills that helped re-tie the set at 21 and 22, but that would be as close as WNMU would get. A pair of kills by the Orediggers and an attack error by the Lady Mustangs helped CSM close out the tight third set, 25-23 and claim the match, 3-0. Both teams hit well in the third as WNMU connected at a .310 clip, while the Orediggers answered with a .318 hitting percentage.
Grap led the Lady Mustangs with 19 kills. Rich added seven and hit .583, Schriner had seven as well and hit .462, while Lyle posted six and hit .500. Hughes, in her first match over the past few weekends, led the way in assists with 22, with
Chyler Imai (Kapaau, HI/Kohala) adding 20. Grap recorded a double-double leading the team in digs with 12. Verrill led in blocks with three.
The Orediggers had three players in double-digit kills led by Alanna Winfield's 14. Frannie Cormier added 13 and Janice Jin, the reigning RMAC Offensive Player of the Week had 10. Danielle Johnson-Hazlewood had 43 assists and Taryn Huber had 15 digs.
WNMU will stay along the front range in Colorado as they will play at Colorado Christian University on Saturday beginning at 6 p.m. The Cougars defeated New Mexico Highlands, 3-1, earlier tonight and are currently tied for eighth in the conference along with Adams State at 7-7.
