LAS VEGAS, N.M. — Western NM defeated N.M. Highlands 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-22) on Friday. Western NM hit .286 with 39 kills while holding N.M. Highlands to a .086 percentage and 29 kills.
Western NM flipped the first set with a six-point run after trailing 14-13, moving ahead 19-14 behind five straight service points from
Savanna Haefs (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Vista High School). That stretch included a Haefs ace, a Hailey Meeks block and an Isabella Brewer kill from Haefs, and Western NM kept the lead the rest of the set.
Jade Rampton (Nelson, New Zealand/Shanghai American School) and
Daphne Posthumus (Lelystad, Netherlands/CCNV Harderwijk (Netherlands)) delivered late kills as Western NM closed the set 25-17.
In the second set, Western NM pulled away with four straight points on Jayla McDuffie's serve, using kills from Haefs and Meeks plus two N.M. Highlands attack errors to stretch the score to 11-4. Western NM kept the margin from there, with Haefs adding a service ace and
Jayden Hughes (High Rolls, NM/Cloudcroft High School) recording late kills before McDuffie finished the 25-13 set with an ace.
In the third set, Western NM held off a late N.M. Highlands push, answering after the home team cut the margin to 20-19 and closing the set on Rampton's kill from
Hannah Haggard (Tucson, AZ/Tanque Verde High School) for a 25-22 finish. Earlier, Western NM opened with the first three points and later built a 20-14 lead behind contributions that included kills from Rampton, Hughes and
McKenna Alvarez-Mittelsted (Katy, TX/Cinco Ranch HS). Brynlee Barris added a block and a service ace in the closing stretch to help Western NM finish the set.
Mikelle McAfee (Casa Grande, AZ/Casa Grande Union High School.) recorded 21 digs and added two assists. Haggard led Western NM with 18 assists and added a service ace. Hughes finished with eight kills on a .375 hitting percentage and added a solo block. Haefs posted 12 assists, three service aces and one kill on one attack.
Western NM is 3-3 overall.
Up next, Western NM volleyball team plays Northwestern Oklahoma State University on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. at John A. Wilson Complex in Las Vegas, N.M.
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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).
