ALPINE, TX — Western NM (14-12, 8-7 Lone Star) defeated Sul Ross St. (1-24, 1-14 Lone Star) 3-0 on Saturday. Western NM went on an 8-0 run after the third set was tied at 17, completing set wins of 25-17, 27-25 and 25-17.
Western NM produced the stronger attacking line, finishing with 39 kills and a .195 hitting percentage while Sul Ross St. had 33 kills and hit .139. Western NM also gained separation in serve-receive numbers with six aces to Sul Ross St.'s two and two reception errors compared with six for Sul Ross St., while
Daphne Posthumus (Lelystad, Netherlands/CCNV Harderwijk (Netherlands)) added 12 kills on .526 hitting and five total blocks.
Western NM erased a 7-6 deficit in the first set, moving in front on a Posthumus kill and reaching 11-8 after a Hailey Meeks/Posthumus block and a
Hannah Haggard (Tucson, AZ/Tanque Verde High School) ace. Western NM kept separation late and finished the set at 25-17 on a
Jalissa Costa (Huntington Beach, CA/Marina High School) kill from Haggard.
Western NM finished the second set by taking the final three points after Sul Ross St. had reached set point at 25-24. After an attack error tied it, Meeks and Posthumus combined on a block, and Posthumus followed with a kill from
Savanna Haefs (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Vista High School) to close out a 27-25 set win.
Western NM broke a 17-17 tie by scoring the final eight points to take the third set, 25-17.
Kiara McDuffie (Aubrey, TX/Braswell High School) served the last seven points of that closing stretch and added a kill at 21-17 before assisting Isabella Brewer's kill at 22-17.
"Always nice to win on the road and with all the distractions this week. But our focus is to make the conference tournament and our girls are in that head space," said head coach
Geno Frugoli.
Western NM is 14-12 overall and 8-7 in Lone Star play.
Up next, Western NM volleyball team hosts New Mexico Highlands University on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 6 p.m. at Drag's Court in Silver City, 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).
