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Western New Mexico University Athletics

Western New Mexico University Athletics
Ashley Mataele
Jay Hemphill, WNMU
3
Winner Wayne State WSC 3-0
0
Western N.M. WNMU 0-3
Winner
Wayne State WSC
3-0
3
Final
0
Western N.M. WNMU
0-3
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Wayne State WSC 25 25 25 (3)
Western N.M. WNMU 23 15 20 (0)
0
Western N.M. WNMU 0-3
3
Winner Colo. Sch. of Mines CSVB 2-0
Western N.M. WNMU
0-3
0
Final
3
Colo. Sch. of Mines CSVB
2-0
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Western N.M. WNMU 19 16 16 (0)
Colo. Sch. of Mines CSVB 25 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball | | Brian Kortz

Nationally-Ranked Teams Get Past Volleyball

GOLDEN, Colo. – To close the Oredigger Classic on Saturday, it was no easy task for the Western New Mexico University volleyball team as they fell to both No. 13 Wayne State (23-25, 15-25, 20-25) and No. 19 Colorado School of Mines 3-0 (19-25, 16-25, 16-25).

Freshman Sarai Migao (Temecula, CA/Chaparral) continued her strong opening weekend to her collegiate career adding nine kills to tie senior Alanna Watt (Hague, Saskatchewan/Hague) for the team lead against Wayne State (3-0). Sophomore Cristal Carrizoza (Phoenix, AZ/North) dished out 17 assists, with sophomore Sophia Mitchell (Katy, TX/Taylor) adding 10. Senior Ashley Mataele (Laie, HI/Kahuku) collected 20 digs, while sophomore Hannah Tishlarich (Elk Grove, CA/Pleasant Grove) sent back five blocks.

The first set was back-and-forth with both teams having a chance to deliver the win. Junior Kijana Best (San Francisco, CA/Mercy) and Migao began things with back-to-back kills. The Wildcats threatened to run away with the set a couple of times, moving ahead 19-15 and later 24-19, but WNMU (0-4) kept fighting back. Senior Kelli McGhiey (Pearl City, HI/Sacred Hearts Academy) posted a kill on the next point to help trigger a 4-0 run to make things interesting. Migao and Tishlarich added a double-block and then a pair of bad sets made it a 24-23 set. Out of a Wayne State timeout, a double-block by Erin Gross and Maria Wortmann gave the Wildcats the 25-23 opening set win.

With momentum with Wayne State, they scored the first three points of the second set for the 3-0 advantage. The lead quickly moved to 8-2 on a double-block. Watt tallied a pair of kills a few points later to help bring the Lady Mustangs back to within two at 10-8. Just when it seemed WNMU was getting back into the set, Wayne State went on a 6-1 run for the 16-9 lead. The Lady Mustangs could only cut the deficit back to six a couple of times, with the last coming at 18-12 on a kill by Migao before Wayne State closed the set on a 7-3 run for the 25-15 second set win and 2-0 match lead.

Migao and Tishlarich combined for a double-block and after a bad set early in the third, WNMU moved out to a 5-3 lead. McGhiey and freshman Delaney Seitz (Hillsboro, OR/Century) combined for a block and then an attack error by the Wildcats had the Lady Mustangs looking at a 9-5 lead. The teams continued to trade leads, with WNMU coming back to tie the set at 20 on a double-block by Tishlarich and McGhiey. After that Wayne State caught fire going on a 5-0 run to take the 25-20 set win and 3-0 match victory.

Wortmann paced Wayne State with 10 kills and she hit .346 with just one error. Megan Gebhardt passed out 31 assists. On defense, Alyssa Ballenger had 22 digs and Wortmann tallied eight blocks.

Junior Aspen Luna (Rota, Spain/Farragut) led the offense with nine kills against Colorado School of Mines (3-0) during the second match. Migao, McGhiey and senior Kalie Lyle (Phoenix, AZ/Sandra Day O' Connor) all added six kills apiece. Carrizoza with 17 and Mitchell with 14 led in assists. On defense, Mataele collected 12 digs and Tishlarich had two blocks. The Lady Mustangs hit better than they did in previous matches coming away with a .153 percentage, but the Orediggers countered with a .406 percentage with Ellie Monarch posting a .611 percentage with 11 kills and no errors in 18 swings.

WNMU grabbed an early lead at 4-3 on an attack error. Colorado School of Mines answered to push in front 9-5. The Lady Mustangs didn't go away, as they fought back to within two on a kill by Luna at 18-16. Watt had WNMU even closer, trimming the deficit to one at 19-18 with a kill before the Orediggers caught fire going on a 6-1 run to take the first set 25-19.

Luna jump started the offense in the second set with a pair of aces and after Migao slammed in a kill the Lady Mustangs raced out to a 5-2 lead. After the Orediggers tied things at seven, WNMU went on a 6-1 run to take a 13-8 lead. During the run, Mitchell posted a service ace, Seitz added a kill and sophomore Erin Moss (Honolulu, HI/University Laboratory School) a service ace around three errors by Colorado School of Mines. Ahead 14-10 on a kill by McGhiey, the Orediggers came charging back thanks to a 9-0 run. The run was too much to overcome with Colorado School of Mines taking the second set at 25-16 to open a 2-0 match lead.

The Orediggers came out on fire in the third set tallying eight of the first nine points for an 8-1 lead. A Lyle kill at 9-4 had the deficit back to five, but that would be as close as WNMU could get the rest of the set as Colorado School of Mines stayed in control to take the set at 25-16 and the match at 3-0.

The Orediggers had four players reach double-digits in kills led by 13 from Lindsey Jin. Marina Hansen set the table with 42 assists, while Abby Tiesman sent back four blocks and Hailey Babcock with 16 digs.

WNMU will now travel to Salt Lake City to compete in the Westminster Invitational Sep. 8 and 9.
 
 
 
 
 
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