SILVER CITY, N.M. – After coming close to once again making a trip to the RMAC Tournament a season ago, the Western New Mexico University volleyball team will look to make the return trip to the conference tournament this season as they return 17 players from last year's team, along with a few key additions.
In 2014, the Lady Mustangs tallied 1,081 kills (11.3 per set), 993 assists (10.3 per set), 120 service aces, 1,402 digs (14.6 per set) and had 223 total blocks (2.3 per set). Of the ten wins WNMU posted, four came in three-set sweeps, two in four-set affairs and four went all five. WNMU returns their top-four kills leaders led by
Leeta Grap (Kamuela, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy) who pounded out 222 last year.
Heather Verrill (Barstow, CA/Barstow ) added 177,
Shannon Rich (Folsom, CA/Folsom) with 170 and
Sheila Menezes (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Escola Estadual Prof. Antonio Ablas Filho) collected 162. Verrill was one of the top attack percentage players in the conference last year as she connected on .306 percentage to lead the team.
Melanie Hughes (Riverside, CA/Martin Luther King Jr.) and
Opal Drapeau (Denver, CO/Bishop Machebeuf Catholic ) return as setters with Hughes dishing out 316 assists last year, which was good for second on the team. Drapeau was next on the list with 136. Nearly a trio had 20 or more service aces led by 25 by
Barbara Soranzo (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil/Mestre Santa Barbara), Hughes added 24, while Grap tallied 19.
On defense, the top-three players in terms of total digs are back this year as Grap and Soranzo tied for the team lead with 260. Menezes added 182 and Hughes also had over 100 with 112. Verrill led the team in total blocks at 102 and in solo blocks with 21. Rich was second on the team with 95 total blocks and 19 solo.
WNMU will open the season on Friday, Sep. 4 in the Angelo State University Invitational first against Newman and Texas-Permian Basin. The Lady Mustangs opened the season last year with a win against Arkansas-Monticello, they faced Texas-Permian Basin last year and claimed a 3-2 victory. To finish the weekend on Saturday they will go against host Angelo State and Tarleton State. WNMU came close against Tarleton State last year dropping a tough five-set match. Angelo State, then ranked 19
th in the nation at the time last year took a 3-1 win over the Lady Mustangs. Angelo State and Tarleton State are each receiving votes in the preseason poll.
The following week will be a trip to California to compete in the Coyote Classic on Sep. 11 and 12 hosted by CSU-San Bernardino. To open the tournament WNMU will go against CSU-Dominguez Hills and Cal Poly Pomona. To close the weekend on Saturday the Lady Mustangs will face CSU-San Marcos and host, currently ranked No. 19 CSU-San Bernardino.
The Lady Mustangs home openers take place on Sep. 18 and Sep. 19. WNMU will go against CSU-Pueblo on Friday as the ThunderWolves claimed both matches last year. Versus Western State, the teams split last year's meetings with each winning at their home sites. A three match road trip will end the month of September playing at New Mexico Highlands (Sep. 22), South Dakota School of Mines (Sep. 25) and Black Hills State (Sep. 26). WNMU split with New Mexico Highlands with each team winning at their home sites, while the Lady Mustangs didn't face either South Dakota Mines or Black Hills State last season. Fellow newcomer Westminster makes the trip to Silver City on Oct. 2 to face the Lady Mustangs. That will open the first of four home matches as WNMU will go against Colorado Mesa (Oct. 3), Adams State (Oct. 9) and Fort Lewis (Oct. 10) with Colorado Mesa winning both matches, WNMU winning both against Adams State and also sweeping Fort Lewis.
WNMU travels to Colorado on Oct. 16 and 17 to face UC-Colorado Springs and Metro State. The Lady Mustangs played both on the road last year, dropping both matches. Chadron State and Regis head to Silver City on Oct. 23 and 24 with both teams winning meetings against WNMU last year.
The final road trip of the regular season begins on Oct. 30 as WNMU will play Colorado Mines, Colorado Christian (Oct. 31), Fort Lewis (Nov. 6) and Adams State (Nov. 7). The Lady Mustangs came close against Colorado Mines last year, falling just short. WNMU came away with a big five-set win against Colorado Christian last year. Senior day takes place on Nov. 14 versus New Mexico Highlands and if the Lady Mustangs qualify, they would compete in the RMAC Tournament beginning on Nov. 17.
