Alamosa, CO- Western New Mexico University volleyball team were on the road last Saturday to take on Adams State University Grizzlies. It was an exciting game with momentum on both side, but WNMU pulled away with a win in five sets (22-25, 25-19, 25-14, 23-25, 17-15).
WNMU (18-7, 13-4 RMAC) dominated ASU (9-16, 8-9 RMAC) in kill percentage, hitting .217 (64-25-180) overall and holding ASU to .141 (62-35-192).
The first set was fought hard by both teams, but ASU pulled away to 12-7 lead. A kill from WNMU’s Morgan Lyneis and an ASU attack error would earn two points for Western and cut the lead 15-14. At 20-17 and lead in favor for the Grizzlies, Mustangs would score three points in a row to tie the game at 20-20 after a kill from Melanie Hughes and Leeta Grap and an attack error. Adams State would counter back by scoring the next 5 of 6 points to finish and in the set at 25-22.
The Mustangs took a quick starting the second set by making the score 7-4. ASU dug their way to one a pair of kills to make the score 10-9, but WNMU’s Heather Verill answered with a kill and two attack errors that gave them three points in a row to make the score 13-9. The Mustangs and Grizzlies kept at it until Mustangs broke away late in the set. WNMU earned themselves a lead at 23-18 when Shannon Rich and Lyneis came away with two straight kills. An ASU attack error gave WNMU the set win at 25-19.
In the third set, Western broke open to an 11-6 lead when Verill and a few errors gave them four points in a row. WNMU kept their momentum going after a kill from Kalie Lyle gave them a comfortable lead at 17-9 and did not stop from there. Grap’s and Verill’s three kills kept things rolling for the Mustangs by scoring the next five of six points to win the set 25-14.
The Grizzlies came out strong by take a 6-1 lead in the fourth set. Western, however, would not go away so easily by scoring the next five of six points to come with one to make the score 7-6. Both teams gave each other a tough fight until WNMU snatched its first lead of the set at 18-17 thanks to an attack error on ASU. The Grizzlies took things into their own hand and score five points in a row, then the Mustangs countered with four points in a row which made the score even 22-22. After a kill from Adams State, Western’s Grap kill answered back with her own kill that kept score tied 23-23. However, ASU pulled away with the next two points to win the set 25-23.
Both teams went back and forth early in the fifth set, but a serving ace from the Grizzlies pulled to a two points lead at 7-5. Scoring the next four points in a row for the Mustangs were kills which came from Verill, Grap, and Hughes that gave them the first lead of the set at 9-7. After a timeout called by ASU, they ignited some momentum by scoring five of the next six points and gave them the lead 12-10. Mustangs came back with their own momentum when Grap and Rich earned themselves each a kill and claimed the lead at 14-12, but a ASU kill tied the game back up at 15-15. Shannon Rich’s kill put the Mustangs back on top 16-15 and an attack error an Adams State gave Western the set and match win at 17-15.
WNMU leader in hitting was Verill with .583 followed by Hughes with .429. Hughes also carried the team in assists by claiming 55 of Western 62 assists. Ashley Mataele led the team with 27 total digs followed by Grap with 20.
With this win, WNMU’s Head Coach, Jim Callender, is just one win away from 700 wins.
The Mustangs volleyball team will finish the regular season this Saturday, also their Senior Day, at home against New Mexico Highlands with the game beginning at 2 p.m.
