SILVER CITY, NM — Western New Mexico (13-12, 7-7 Lone Star) lost to UT Tyler (19-4, 10-3 Lone Star) 3-2 on Saturday. Western New Mexico dropped the first two sets 21-25 and 14-25 before winning the third and fourth 25-22 and 25-16, but UT Tyler took the fifth 15-9.
Western New Mexico finished nearly even with UT Tyler in attack percentage, hitting .178 to the visitors' .177, and held a 12-9 advantage in total blocks with fewer attack errors, 24 to 29. UT Tyler had more kills, 58-51, and more digs, 75-70, while also serving five aces with eight service errors compared with Western New Mexico's three aces and 12 service errors. Western New Mexico also generated two separate 6-0 scoring runs, giving the match stretches of production beyond the close full-match attacking numbers.
Western New Mexico answered UT Tyler's 12-8 lead with four straight points to tie the opening set at 12-12, including a Hailey Meeks/
Daphne Posthumus (Lelystad, Netherlands/CCNV Harderwijk (Netherlands)) block and a
Jayden Hughes (High Rolls, NM/Cloudcroft High School) kill. The Mustangs stayed within reach later with kills from
McKenna Alvarez-Mittelsted (Katy, TX/Cinco Ranch HS),
Jade Rampton (Nelson, New Zealand/Shanghai American School), Posthumus and Meeks, but UT Tyler closed out the set 25-21.
Western New Mexico stayed even through 10-10, with Posthumus and Rampton each supplying multiple early kills. UT Tyler then broke the tie with five straight points on Mia Cross's serve, including three aces, and Western New Mexico answered only briefly with kills from Hughes and Posthumus. UT Tyler pulled away from there and took the set, 25-14.
Western New Mexico erased a 12-11 deficit with six straight points, tying the set on Ava Frezza's kill before
Kiara McDuffie (Aubrey, TX/Braswell High School) served five consecutive points for a 17-12 lead. The surge included three assisted blocks and a Hughes kill as Western New Mexico created separation in the middle of the set. UT Tyler closed within 24-22, but Rampton finished the set with a kill from
Savanna Haefs (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Vista High School) for a 25-22 Western New Mexico win.
Western New Mexico took control of the fourth set immediately, scoring the first six points and winning seven of the first eight rallies to go ahead 7-1. Jayla McDuffie served five straight points during that opening stretch, while Hughes,
Mikelle McAfee (Casa Grande, AZ/Casa Grande Union High School.) and Posthumus contributed early points. Western New Mexico finished the set 25-16.
Western New Mexico could not recover from an early UT Tyler surge in the fifth set, falling behind 7-2 after the set had been tied 2-2. Isabella Brewer answered with two kills later in the set, and Hughes, Posthumus and Ava Frezza added consecutive late kills to move Western New Mexico from 14-6 to 14-9. UT Tyler ended the set on the next point for a 15-9 finish, taking the match.
Posthumus finished with 12 kills, eight total blocks and 18 points. McAfee collected 20 digs and added five assists. Haefs recorded 18 assists, four digs and one service ace. Rampton added 10 kills, three total blocks and 12 points.
Western New Mexico is 13-12 overall and 7-7 in Lone Star play.
Up next, the Western New Mexico volleyball team visits Sul Ross State on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2 p.m. at the Pete P. Gallego Center in Alpine, Texas.
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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).
