DENTON, TX — Western New Mexico University (8-9, 3-4 Lone Star) fell in straight sets to Texas Woman's University (11-6, 4-2 Lone Star) on Saturday at Kitty Magee Arena, with the home team claiming a 25-16, 25-22, 25-18 victory.

Texas Woman's secured the win with a strong offensive performance, including 10 service aces and a .270 hitting percentage.

Western New Mexico started the first set with a solid defensive presence, highlighted by a block from Daphne Posthumus (Lelystad, Netherlands/CCNV Harderwijk (Netherlands)) and Jayden Hughes (High Rolls, NM/Cloudcroft High School), which put a point on the board after an early Texas Woman's lead. Brynlee Barris and Hailey Meeks also combined for effective blocks, contributing to the Mustangs' defensive efforts. Despite trailing early, Western New Mexico displayed resilience, narrowing the gap with a kill from Kaitlyn Salgado and a service ace by Hannah Haggard (Tucson, AZ/Tanque Verde High School), bringing the score to 15-9.

Savanna Haefs (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Vista High School) contributed late in the set by assisting on kills for both Barris and Posthumus, as the team attempted to close the deficit. Although Western New Mexico managed to post consecutive points toward the end, the set concluded with Texas Woman's maintaining their lead, taking the first set 25-16.

The Mustangs began the second set by overcoming an early deficit, with Barris and Salgado leading a steady offensive effort. Salgado's contributions, in particular, kept the team within reach as she added crucial kills to narrow the margin. Midway through, Carley Deck (Tucson, AZ/Tanque Verde High School) and Barris formed an effective block to shift momentum slightly in favor of Western New Mexico, tying the score at several junctures.

As the set progressed, Western New Mexico maintained pressure with strategic points from Deck and Salgado, bringing the score level multiple times. However, Texas Woman's responded with timely kills and service aces to regain the lead. Despite a late push with a kill from Jade Rampton (Nelson, New Zealand/Shanghai American School), Western New Mexico concluded the set trailing narrowly, 25-22, after a final point by Sydney Garrison of the Pioneers.

The third set began with Western New Mexico trying to regain momentum after a challenging start against Texas Woman's. Despite early service errors, the Mustangs found key contributions from Ava Frezza and Barris with kills that cut into the Pioneers' lead. However, Texas Woman's capitalized on a series of errors and service aces to extend their advantage.

Haefs provided a service ace and several assists, helping Western New Mexico reduce the deficit to 14-18. A collaborative block by Posthumus and Deck showcased the Mustangs' defensive resilience. Despite these efforts, the Pioneers maintained control with consistent attacking and service strength, ultimately closing the set 25-18 in their favor.

Barris led Western New Mexico with nine kills on 22 attempts, contributing a total of 12 points and adding four blocks. Jayla McDuffie was a defensive standout, recording 18 digs over three sets. Haggard delivered 11 assists and achieved a perfect hitting percentage with one kill on one attempt. Deck contributed six kills with a .313 hitting percentage and added 13 digs to her performance.

Tori Woods made a significant impact with nine kills and a hitting percentage of .333, contributing 12 points for Texas Woman's. Jonaida Donowa showcased a perfect attacking efficiency with 10 kills on 15 attempts, hitting .667, and added two blocks for a total of 13.5 points. Alyssa Rojo anchored the defense with 21 digs, leading the team. Garrison also proved valuable with 10 kills, 6 digs, and 2 blocks, accumulating 11 points in total.

Western New Mexico holds an overall record of 8-9 and a conference record of 3-4 in the Lone Star Conference. Texas Woman's stands at 11-6 overall and 4-2 in Lone Star Conference play.

Looking ahead, the Mustangs will face off against West Texas A&M on Thursday, Oct. 16, at Drag's Court in Silver City, N.M. The match is set to begin at 6 p.m. as they defend their home court.

   
Western New Mexico University is a member of the NCAA Division II, and the Lone Star Conference (LSC). For additional information regarding Mustang Athletics, visit www.wnmumustangs.com; visit wnmu.edu for more information about Western New Mexico University. Follow the Mustangs on social media: @WNMUathletics (X, TikTok & Instagram).