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Western New Mexico University Athletics

Western New Mexico University Athletics
VB Seniors
Jay Hemphill, WNMU
3
Winner Texas Woman's TWU 13-16, 9-9 LSC
0
Western N.M. WNMU 9-17, 9-9 LSC
Winner
Texas Woman's TWU
13-16, 9-9 LSC
3
Final
0
Western N.M. WNMU
9-17, 9-9 LSC
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Texas Woman's TWU 28 25 25 (3)
Western N.M. WNMU 26 21 18 (0)

Game Recap: Volleyball | | Brian Kortz

Pioneers Get Past Lady Mustangs on Senior Night

SILVER CITY, N.M. – It was setup to be another close battle if the first set was any indication as the teams went extra time to settle the score. Texas Woman's University won the first set 28-26 and then held off the Western New Mexico University volleyball team over the next two sets to take the 3-0 victory over the Lady Mustangs (26-28, 21-25, 18-25) Saturday night in Lone Star Conference action.

Despite the loss, WNMU (9-17, 9-9 LSC) punched their ticket to the LSC Tournament with Midwestern State falling earlier in the day to Angelo State. Eastern New Mexico and Texas Woman's are all 9-9 in conference play, along with the Lady Mustangs as the teams are tied for sixth and have all clinched a spot. It will come down to the last weekend to decide who will grab what seed. Tarleton State also solidified the top spot at 16-2, with Texas A&M-Commerce the next closest team at 13-5, so they will host the conference tournament in Stephenville.

With it being senior night, it was fitting that seniors Alanna Watt (Hague, Saskatchewan/Hague), Heather Verrill (Barstow, CA/Barstow) and Kalie Lyle (Phoenix, AZ/Sandra Day O' Connor) led the team in kills. Watt tallied 11, Verrill with eight and Lyle with seven. The other three seniors Kelli McGhiey (Pearl City, HI/Sacred Hearts Academy) had four kills and five digs, Aspen Luna (Rota, Spain/Farragut) with two kills, a block and a dig and Ashley Mataele (Laie, HI/Kahuku) tallied 23 digs, along with two assists and two service aces. Verrill added four blocks, one solo and Lyle had seven digs.

Sophomore Cristal Carrizoza (Phoenix, AZ/North) had 23 assists.

TWU (13-16, 9-9 LSC) hit at least .255 in every set, as they gradually improved from a .255 in the first to .261 in the second and .324 in the third. They hit .276 for the match (55-18-134). WNMU countered with a .145 percentage (36-18-124).

WNMU came out energized to start the first set with Mataele spinning in an ace and a pair of Pioneer errors had the lead at 3-0. Tied at 12, a service error helped the Lady Mustangs go on a 3-0 run as an attack error and then a kill by Lyle moved the lead to 15-12. A Watt kill pushed WNMU back in front at 17-16 before TWU went on a 5-0 run to open a 21-17 lead. Just when it looked like the set was over, WNMU came roaring back with Luna helping start a 4-0 run. Luna and Verrill added a block and then a service ace by Mataele tied the set at 23. After that, the teams traded points before TWU got a kill by Courtney Noel and an attack error by WNMU gave the Pioneers the 28-26 opening set win.

The Lady Mustangs started the second set on a 3-0 run with Verrill and Lyle posting kills. After a run by the Pioneers, WNMU regained the lead at 7-6 on a kill by Lyle. The teams continued to trade points over the next 28 points with the set tied at 14 before TWU went on a massive 7-0 run to take a 21-14 lead. Down 24-18, WNMU made one last run with Watt, Carrizoza and Verrill posting points to get to within three at 24-21. Out of a TWU timeout, the Pioneers put the set away with a kill by Kerstin Jenkins for the 25-21 set win and 2-0 match lead.

TWU moved out quickly to a 15-10 lead in the third set before WNMU moved back to within a point thanks to a 4-0 run with Verrill and Watt collecting points. Just when WNMU was back in the set, TWU went on a 4-0 run to take a 19-14 lead. WNMU fought back to within three at 21-18 on a kill by Lyle, but the Pioneers were not to be denied as they finished the set on a 4-0 run to take the third set at 25-18 and the match at 3-0.

WNMU held the edge in service aces (3-1), while TWU had the advantage in blocks (7-6), assists (52-32) and digs (62-52).

Courtney Noel, Caroline Noel and Briley Cole-Lewis paced the Pioneers with 13 kills apiece. Makayla Mayfield and Miri Shade added eight kills apiece. Katy Ranes dished out 45 assists while on defense Bailey French had 21 digs, Mayfield with 15 and Courtney Noel sent back five blocks.

WNMU will have a tough road trip to end the regular season as they will play at Tarleton State Friday night starting at 6 p.m. and then against Angelo State on Saturday afternoon starting at 2 p.m. Both start times are Central Time.
 
 
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