CANYON, TX — Western NM lost to West Tex. A&M 3-1 on Friday at WTAMU Field House The Box Canyon. The Mustangs took the third set 25-22 after overcoming a three-point deficit, but West Tex. A&M won the fourth set 25-13 to finish the match.
The Mustangs produced 52 kills, but West Tex. A&M finished with 60 kills and hit .414 compared with the Mustangs' .224. The Mustangs held an 8-5 edge in total blocks and made a third-set push that included cutting a seven-point deficit to two before taking a late lead, while West Tex. A&M also held advantages in digs and service aces.
The Mustangs were within 11-9 after a
Jayden Hughes (High Rolls, NM/Cloudcroft High School) kill, but West Tex. A&M scored the next five points to move ahead 16-9. The Mustangs got late kills from
McKenna Alvarez-Mittelsted (Katy, TX/Cinco Ranch HS),
Daphne Posthumus (Lelystad, Netherlands/CCNV Harderwijk (Netherlands)) and Hughes, along with a
Mikelle McAfee (Casa Grande, AZ/Casa Grande Union High School.) service ace, but West Tex. A&M closed the set 25-17.
The Mustangs overcame a 2-0 start and built an 11-7 lead in the second set, with Posthumus supplying early kills and Ava Frezza involved in two blocks. West Tex. A&M then scored seven straight points to move in front 14-11, a stretch that included two service aces by Hannah Pemberton. The Mustangs got later kills from Alvarez-Mittelsted, Posthumus and Hughes, but West Tex. A&M took the set 25-19.
The Mustangs erased an 11-4 deficit in the third set, using
Savanna Haefs' (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Vista High School) serve to turn a 16-13 hole into a 17-16 lead with help from her ace and a Hughes/
Jade Rampton (Nelson, New Zealand/Shanghai American School) block. West Tex. A&M tied it twice afterward, but the Mustangs answered late with kills from Hughes, Isabella Brewer and Haefs before Hughes finished the 25-22 set win.
The Mustangs were even at 4-4 after Posthumus put away a kill from
Hannah Haggard (Tucson, AZ/Tanque Verde High School), but West Tex. A&M followed with six straight points to create separation. Brewer led the Mustangs' attack in the set with four kills, while Rampton added two, including one that stopped a late West Tex. A&M service run. West Tex. A&M closed the fourth set 25-13.
Hughes led the Mustangs with 13 kills and added one block. McAfee collected a team-high 15 digs, four assists and one service ace. Haggard finished with 21 assists, one kill and one ace. Rampton recorded five total blocks and added three kills.
The Mustangs are 11-8 overall and 5-3 in Lone Star play.
Up next, the Western New Mexico visits Eastern New Mexico on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 2 p.m. at Greyhound Arena in Portales, New Mexico.
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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).
