Western New Mexico University Athletics

LAWTON, OK — Western NM (13-8, 7-3 Lone Star) defeated Cameron (2-18, 2-7 Lone Star) 3-2 on Friday. Western NM won the first two sets 25-21 and 25-19, dropped the next two 24-26 and 29-31, then closed the match with an 18-16 fifth set.

Western NM closed the five-set match by converting set point in the fifth, capping a night that also included an 11-0 run in the second set. The Mustangs finished with narrow advantages in kills (59-58), hitting percentage (.192-.174), aces (14-10) and digs (80-77), while Cameron held an 8-6 edge in total blocks. Daphne Posthumus (Lelystad, Netherlands/CCNV Harderwijk (Netherlands)) supported that team attack with 21 kills on a .439 hitting percentage and 25.0 points.

Western NM erased a 19-14 deficit in the opening set, getting three straight service aces from Briseis Armendariz (El Paso, TX/Del Valle HS) before Isabella Brewer tied it at 19-19. After Cameron moved back in front 20-19, Western NM answered with four straight points, including a Posthumus kill and a Mikelle McAfee (Casa Grande, AZ/Casa Grande Union High School.) ace, and finished the set on Hannah Haggard's (Tucson, AZ/Tanque Verde High School) service ace for a 25-21 win.

Western NM turned the second set around after falling behind 7-2, scoring 11 straight points to move in front 13-7. Jayla McDuffie served for 10 straight points during that stretch, including two aces, while Posthumus and McKenna Alvarez-Mittelsted (Katy, TX/Cinco Ranch HS) added kills. After Cameron cut the score to 23-19, Western NM closed the set with a Posthumus kill and a Cameron attack error for a 25-19 win.

Western NM kept extending the third set, first using Hannah Haggard's (Tucson, AZ/Tanque Verde High School) service turn to move from 14-10 down to a 14-14 tie behind back-to-back Posthumus kills and a Posthumus-Payton Zenan (Sahuarita, AZ/Sahuarita HS) block. After Cameron reached 24-22, Haggard served an ace and Zenan teamed with Posthumus on another block to tie the set at 24-24. Cameron answered with the final two points, taking the set 26-24 on Caitlyn Cornell's kill.

Western NM climbed out of a 24-21 deficit in the fourth set, with a Jade Rampton (Nelson, New Zealand/Shanghai American School) kill and three Alvarez-Mittelsted kills helping set up a 26-25 lead on a Cameron attack error. Posthumus later put Western NM back in front at 28-27, but Cameron answered and took the set 31-29.

Western NM closed the fifth set at 18-16 when Ava Frezza put away a Savanna Haefs (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Vista High School) set for the final point. Earlier, Western NM led 8-4 before Cameron moved in front 9-8, and the teams traded points deep into the set. After Cameron took a 16-15 edge, a service error, a block by Brewer and Rampton, and Frezza's kill gave Western NM the final three points of the set.

Posthumus led Western NM with 21 kills, 25 points and five total blocks while hitting .439. McAfee recorded a team-high 16 digs and added three service aces and six assists. Hannah Haggard (Tucson, AZ/Tanque Verde High School) finished with a team-best 21 assists to go with 11 digs and two aces. Armendariz served a team-high four aces and collected 10 digs.

Western NM is 13-8 overall and 7-3 in Lone Star play. Cameron is 2-18 overall and 2-7 in Lone Star play.

Up next, Western NM volleyball team travels to Edmond, Oklahoma, to face Oklahoma Christian on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 1 p.m.