Western New Mexico University Athletics

SAN ANGELO, TX - Western New Mexico (17-13, 10-7 Lone Star) lost to West Tex. A&M (15-14, 9-8 Lone Star) 3-2 on Wednesday. Western New Mexico's set scores were 14-25, 25-14, 25-23, 24-26 and 11-15.

Western New Mexico matched West Tex. A&M with 63 kills and held a 13-7 edge in total blocks, with Daphne Posthumus (Lelystad, Netherlands/CCNV Harderwijk (Netherlands)) finishing with 20 kills on a .474 hitting percentage and five total blocks. West Tex. A&M held a slight hitting-percentage edge, .234 to .225, and an 86-68 advantage in digs, while Western New Mexico's seven aces came with 12 service errors compared with four for the visitors. Western New Mexico also had set-level swings, taking leads in the third and fourth sets after trailing, including a 7-0 run in the fourth.

Western New Mexico answered the opening point with a Jayden Hughes (High Rolls, NM/Cloudcroft High School) kill from Hannah Haggard (Tucson, AZ/Tanque Verde High School), but West Tex. A&M scored the next five points to put the home team in an early 6-1 hole. Hughes added consecutive kills late in the set, and Posthumus was credited with a block on Western New Mexico's final point before West Tex. A&M took the set, 25-14.

In the second set, Western New Mexico opened an 8-2 lead, using kills from Hailey Meeks and Jade Rampton (Nelson, New Zealand/Shanghai American School), two block points and a Savanna Haefs (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Vista High School) ace to create early separation. The home side kept adding points at the net, with Isabella Brewer and Hughes providing kills and Rampton involved in multiple blocks. Posthumus finished the set with an ace as Western New Mexico took it 25-14.

Western New Mexico turned a 15-14 deficit into a 19-16 advantage in the third set, with Brewer and Mikelle McAfee (Casa Grande, AZ/Casa Grande Union High School.) each serving an ace and Ava Frezza and Posthumus combining on a block during the push. West Tex. A&M cut the margin to 24-23 late, but Meeks finished a kill from Brewer to give Western New Mexico the set, 25-23.

A seven-point run helped Western New Mexico erase a 9-5 deficit in the fourth set, with two McAfee service aces and kills from Hughes, Posthumus and Frezza moving the home side ahead 12-9. West Tex. A&M later built a 24-21 edge, but Western New Mexico answered with three straight points to tie the set at 24-24. West Tex. A&M took the final two points to close out the set, 26-24.

In the fifth set, Western New Mexico got within 9-8 behind consecutive kills from Posthumus. West Tex. A&M responded with three straight points, and although Posthumus and Brewer added kills to bring Western New Mexico back to 12-10, West Tex. A&M closed out the set 15-11.

Posthumus led Western New Mexico with 20 kills and 24.5 points while hitting .474 and adding five total blocks. Haggard finished with 32 assists and 11 digs. McAfee collected 21 digs and four service aces. Hughes added 14 kills on a .419 hitting percentage with six digs and two blocks.

Western New Mexico end season 17-13 overall and 10-7 in Lone Star play.