Silver City, NM- Friday night, Western New Mexico University’s volleyball team faced off against Adams State University. The Mustangs remain undefeated in RMAC as they beat Adams State 3-1 (25-15, 25-21, 21-25, 25-18). With this win, WNMU makes it their eighth-straight win.
The Mustangs scored the first two points by Melanie Hughe’s kill and an error from Adams State. The Grizzlies would rally three points in a row to tie the set 6-6, but Western came back with their own four point rally from a kill by Leeta Grap and a few errors from the Grizzlies to make the score 11-7. At the score 15-12 after an Adams State error, the Mustangs went on a ten point streak thanks to the help of Shannon Rich’s blocks and a few errors from Adams State. The Mustangs only had five errors, while the Grizzlies had twelve errors and WNMU went on to take the set 25-15.
The second set started out rough for the Mustangs going down 4-1, with the only point from Sheila Menezes’s kill. Western would make it a one-point deficit with the score at 10-9 after a kill from Grap, but could not tie it up because of a kill from the Grizzlies. Adams State would control most of the begging set, until the score of 19-15 when WNMU started their nine-point streak. During their run, Barbara Soranzo had an ace, two kills from Grap, and a few errors from Adams State. Western would go on to win the set 25-21.
In the two sets, the Mustangs’ had a percentage of .200 with ten errors and holding Adams State to .047 with 22 errors. Grap led with 8 kills and Hughes with 13 assists.
The start of the third set Western took a quick 2-0 lead from Grap and Menezes’s kills. After a kill from Heather Verrill, the Mustangs took a 7-2 lead. WNMU kept attacking to make a comfortable lead 14-7 after Hughes’ ace, but the Grizzlies did not give up by taking their first lead 18-16 thanks to a few kills and errors by the Mustangs. They took the lead back at 20-19 from Morgan Lyneis and Verrill’s block. However, the Grizzlies took the set scoring the last 6 of 7 points.
Even though the Mustangs had 15 kills to the Grizzlies’ 9, the Mustangs led with 11 errors to Adams States 5.
WNMU took a 3-1 lead in the third set on a couple errors from Adams State. Ashley Mataele’s kill and an error from Adam State, Western took a 10-5 lead. The Mustangs would not let up by taking a 15-8 lead after a kill from Kelli McGhiey and end up winning the set 25-18.
The Mustangs hit an incredible percentage of .257 overall and Adam State only .073. Grap and McGhiey would lead the team in kills with a total of 31 and Hughes with a total of 28 assists.
The Mustangs will host Fort Lewis in this week’s Homecoming Saturday night match.
