Box Score DENVER, Colo. – The Western New Mexico University volleyball team came out on fire against Regis University. After the teams went back-and-forth in the second set, the Rangers used the momentum from winning that set to defeat the Lady Mustangs 3-1 (25-16, 23-25, 13-25, 15-25) Tuesday in the first round of the RMAC Tournament.
The opening set belonged to the Lady Mustangs (19-8) right away hitting .375 (15-3-32) and holding the Rangers (18-11) to a .053 (11-9-38) percentage. Following a pair of attack errors by Regis,
Heather Verrill (Barstow, CA/Barstow ),
Kelli McGhiey (Pearl City, HI/Sacred Hearts Academy ) and
Sheila Menezes (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Escola Estadual Prof. Antonio Ablas Filho) had kills before a double-block by Menezes and
Shannon Rich (Folsom, CA/Folsom) moved WNMU out to the commanding 11-3 lead. The Lady Mustangs broke open what was a close set at 5-3 going on the 6-0 run. The Rangers would only get as close as five a few times down the stretch before WNMU went on to close it out. A
Leeta Grap (Kamuela, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy) killed moved the Lady Mustangs to set point and then an attack error by the Rangers gave WNMU the 25-16 set win.
Regis looked to be in good shape to start the second set out to a 7-2 lead. Out of a WNMU timeout the Lady Mustangs responded going on a 6-0 run to take the lead at 8-7. McGhiey started the run with a kill, and then would add another before a double-block by McGhiey and Rich, two blocks during the spurt, had WNMU back in front. The momentum continued for WNMU with Heather Verill and Menezes combining for a block, before the two would add kills of their own to have WNMU with the 14-10 advantage. The Rangers came out strong out of a timeout going on a 9-3 run to take a 19-17 lead. WNMU would come back to tie the set at 21 on an attack error, at 22 on a service error and then take the lead on the next point on a solo block by
Leeta Grap (Kamuela, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy). The Rangers answered with the next three points to come back and grab the set at 25-23.
Regis then began to make their move in the third set. After WNMU held a 4-3 lead on a kill by Menezes, the Rangers responded with an 8-1 run to open an 11-5 lead. The Lady Mustangs would get back to within five a few times with the last coming at 13-8 on a kill by
Morgan Lyneis (Victorville, CA/Apple Valley), but it would be too much Regis as the Rangers took the set at 25-13. Regis hit .233 in the set while limiting WNMU to a minus .048.
WNMU opened the fourth set with the first point on a kill by Menezes, but the Rangers didn't let off the gas as they quickly charged back with a 9-1 run to open a 9-2 lead.
Taryn Schriner (Dayton, NV/Dayton ) and Rich would add kills later on to bring the deficit back to six, which would be as close as WNMU would get the rest of the way. Regis went on to take the set at 25-15 and the match, 3-1.
WNMU hit .094 (43-30-139) for the match, while Regis connected at .175 (52-24-160). Verrill had a strong game with 12 kills and hit .364. Lyneis tallied eight kills and hit .211.
Melanie Hughes (Riverside, CA/Martin Luther King Jr.) dished out a team-high 21 assists, while
Chyler Imai (Kapaau, HI/Kohala) added 18. On defense
Ashley Mataele (Laie, HI/Kahuku) posted 20 digs to 14 for Grap and in terms of blocks Rich had six, with one solo. Menezes added five blocks and Verrill had four as WNMU posted 12 as a team.
Katie Klein tallied a match-high 15 kills, while Maggie Steward added 14 to pace the Rangers.
With the loss, WNMU is eliminated from the RMAC Tournament while Regis advances to face Colorado Mines in the second round. All the top seeds won on Tuesday as Colorado Mesa and MSU Denver also collected victories. The Lady Mustangs, ranked ninth in the latest South Central Region rankings, will now have to wait and see if they will make the field during the selection show on Monday, Nov. 23 at 5:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.
