In what looked to be headed towards a sweep for the Western New Mexico University volleyball team turned into anything but easy. Colorado State University-Pueblo rallied winning a pair of sets to force it to the fifth before the Lady Mustangs responded strong to take the 3-2 victory (30-28, 25-21, 23-25, 19-25, 15-3) in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener for each team Friday night.
In the opening set, WNMU (6-3, 1-0 RMAC) opened up a solid 17-12 lead off a double-block by senior Sheila Menezes (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Escola Estadual Prof. Antonio Ablas Filho) and sophomoreHeather Verrill (Barstow, CA/Barstow ). The Lady Mustangs moved a point away from the set at 24-23 with a solo block by junior Shannon Rich (Folsom, CA/Folsom). CSU-Pueblo (2-7, 0-1 RMAC) responded, coming back to tie the set a couple of times before the Lady Mustangs won the lengthy set with a service ace from sophomore Morgan Lyneis (Victorville, CA/Apple Valley) and the 30-28 win.
In the second frame, WNMU moved out to a three-point lead at 12-9 on a kill by sophomore Kelli McGhiey (Pearl City, HI/Sacred Hearts Academy ). The lead stretched to four on a service ace by senior Leeta Grap (Kamuela, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy) at 18-14. After the ThunderWolves came back to within a point at 20-19, WNMU responded with a kill by sophomore Melanie Hughes (Riverside, CA/Martin Luther King Jr.), attack error, then a double-block by Grap and Verrill moved WNMU to set point. After a couple points by CSU-Pueblo, Verrill closed the set with a strong kill for the 25-21 set win and 2-0 match lead.
That's win the ThunderWolves responded with authority. The third set looked like it could go either way late in the match as WNMU fought their way back to a point at 22-21. A pair of kills from Rich and Verrill each brought the Lady Mustangs back to within a point before a ball handling error on WNMU gave CSU-Pueblo the 25-23 set win.
The fourth set swung to the visitors early and they never looked back. Holding a six-point lead (21-15) late, WNMU would get back to within four as a Verrill solo block made it 22-18. That would be as close as they would get as the ThunderWolves took three of the next four points for the 25-19 set win.
In the decisive fifth, it appeared CSU-Pueblo was ready to run away with it taking the first three points. Menezes then went to work posting kills on five of the next six points to ignite what would turn out to be a 15-0 run to win the match with Hughes serving throughout. Rich, Hughes helped to get the run going early on as well. Then down the stretch, Lyneis and Rich combined for a block and after a kill by Lyneis, Menezes and Hughes posted kills to move it to match point. Rich then delivered one of her seven solo blocks to close the match at 15-3.
WNMU hit .175 for the match (62-30-183), while CSU-Pueblo was just under that number at .160 (60-32-175). Grap and Menezes led the way with 13 kills each as Menezes hit .303. McGhiey added nine and eight from Lyneis. Hughes dished out 36 assists, while senior Chyler Imai (Kapaau, HI/Kohala) added 14. On defense, sophomore Ashley Mataele (Laie, HI/Kahuku) had 18 digs, 16 by Grap and 11 from Imai. Rich had eight total blocks with seven coming solo. Verrill added five with two solo, as WNMU had 13 as a team.
Oni Lattin powered the CSU-Pueblo attack going for 19 kills and added eight blocks, five solo.
WNMU will host Western State Colorado University Saturday night at 7 p.m. The Mountaineers lost a five-set match at New Mexico Highlands earlier tonight.