SILVER CITY, N.M. – What has become a trademark at home was once again witnessed Friday night as the Western New Mexico University volleyball team hit .345 and limited Texas Woman's University to just .080 in taking the 3-0 sweep (25-17, 25-19, 25-19) in Lone Star Conference action.

WNMU (12-6, 4-3 LSC) couldn't have asked for a better start than what they got in the first set, ripping off a .560 hitting percentage with 16 kills to just two errors in 25 swings. TWU (6-10, 2-5 LSC) answered with their best hitting percentage of any set in the first at .207, but it wasn't enough to combat the Lady Mustang attack.

With the first set tied at two, junior Heather Verrill (Barstow, CA/Barstow ) posted a kill to ignite a 4-0 run to help WNMU never look back. Verrill added a solo block and freshman Hannah Tishlarich (Elk Grove, CA/Pleasant Grove) added a kill during the spurt. The Pioneers tried to rally a few times, getting back to within two at 11-9 before a service error helped WNMU break ahead for good. Junior Ashley Mataele (Laie, HI/Kahuku) added a service ace and junior Samantha Haupeakui (San Mateo, CA/Aragon) collected a kill to push the lead to five. Senior Shannon Rich (Folsom, CA/Folsom) sealed the victory with a kill at 25-17.

In the second set, the teams were tied at five when Tishlarich ripped off a kill to start a 5-0 run. Junior Kalie Lyle (Phoenix, AZ/Sandra Day O' Connor ) then took care of business at the service line firing in three straight aces and then a kill by junior Kelli McGhiey (Pearl City, HI/Sacred Hearts Academy ) moved the lead to 10-5. The Pioneers would get back to within three a couple of times before Rich tallied a kill and a service ace by redshirt junior Kelsey Marks (Cave Creek, AZ/Cactus Shadow) gave the Lady Mustangs the 25-19 second set win.

The Lady Mustangs were ready to seal the match to start the third, coming out strong scoring 12 of the first 15 points. TWU started the set with four straight attack errors with one coming on a solo block by Rich. Rich and McGhiey drilled a couple of kills and later around three attack errors, Tishlarich had the lead at 12-3. WNMU cruised the rest of the set with Haupeakui and Lyle closing the set and the match with back-to-back kills for the 25-19 set win.

Haupeakui and Verrill paced the offense with nine kills apiece as Haupeakui hit .533 with just one error in 15 swings. Lyle added seven, McGhiey with six and Tishlarich and Rich both with five apiece. Junior Melanie Hughes (Riverside, CA/Martin Luther King Jr.) dished out 18 assists, while freshman Bailey Gin (Tucson, AZ/Tucson Magnet) tallied 16. Lyle spun in three service aces. On defense, Tishlarich had five, with Haupeakui with four. Junior Ashley Mataele (Laie, HI/Kahuku) posted eight digs.

Sara Oxford paced the Pioneers with 12 kills and hit .318.

WNMU hosts Texas A&M-Commerce tomorrow (Saturday) night at 6 p.m. The Lions fell to Eastern New Mexico, 3-1, earlier tonight.