Western New Mexico University Athletics

SILVER CITY, N.M. — Western NM lost to Midwestern St. 3-0 on Thursday at Drag's Court. Western NM dropped the sets 17-25, 22-25, 25-27, finishing with 35 kills and a .174 hitting percentage.

Western NM fell into an early hole in the opening set, with Midwestern St. leading 7-2 and later 18-8. Daphne Posthumus (Lelystad, Netherlands/CCNV Harderwijk (Netherlands)) and Jade Rampton (Nelson, New Zealand/Shanghai American School) gave Western NM points at the net, and a Posthumus kill, a Jayden Hughes (High Rolls, NM/Cloudcroft High School) kill and a Brynlee Barris block produced a three-point response that moved the score to 18-11. Midwestern St. kept the advantage from there and took the set 25-17.

Western NM erased a late deficit, with Rampton tying the set at 19-19 and Posthumus following with a kill for a 20-19 lead. After Posthumus tied it again at 22-22, Midwestern St. scored the final three points to take the set 25-22.

Western NM made its main push late in the third set, erasing a 22-16 deficit with six straight points on Jayla McDuffie's serve, including a Barris block, an Isabella Brewer kill and a Rampton kill. Brewer later tied the set at 24-24, and Posthumus put Western NM ahead 25-24 with a kill. Midwestern St. scored the final three points to take the set 27-25.

Rampton led Western NM with nine kills while hitting .333 and added one solo block. Barris finished with seven kills and a team-high three solo blocks for 10 points. Savanna Haefs (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Vista High School) recorded a team-best 16 assists and added one service ace. Mikelle McAfee (Casa Grande, AZ/Casa Grande Union High School.) collected a team-high 11 digs and added two assists.

Western NM is 6-6 overall and 0-1 in Lone Star play.  

Up next, Western New Mexico University hosts Lubbock Christian on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 12:00pm MT at Drag's Court in Silver City, N.M.