Box Score Pueblo, Colo. – The NMHU Cowgirl Volleyball team dropped a close match against Colorado State University – Pueblo in four sets, on Oct. 1, 2013. The Cowgirls battled the ThunderWolves throughout the entire match, winning the first set (25-23) and coming very close in the remaining three sets (22-25, 24-26, 22-25). The Cowgirls continue to improve each week and, although they lost their last two matches, they are proving to be a much better team and are contesting every single set recently. The Cowgirls, led by Head Coach
Bryan Crawford, fall to 1-4 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and 7-7 in overall play.
CSUP 3 – NMHU 1
First Set (25-23)
The Cowgirls started out in a good position in the first set, taking a slight lead and holding on as the teams battled back and forth. Midway through the first set, the ThunderWolves went on a 7-point run to jump ahead 18-12. The Cowgirls responded with energy. With the score at 20-15 in favor of CSU-Pueblo, the Cowgirls enjoyed a 5-point run of their own to even things up at 20 points apiece. The ThunderWolves rattled off the next two points (22-20), but the Cowgirls answered with a 4-point run to take a 24-20 lead and force set point. The teams exchanged the next two points and Cowgirls came out on top with a 25-23 victory.
Second Set (22-25)
CSU-Pueblo started out the second set with three straight points, but the Cowgirls fired off a 4-point run to take a one point lead (4-3). The ThunderWolves were able to get the momentum and work to an 8-5 advantage. The Cowgirls never let the set get away from them and battled back to tie the set up at 10 points apiece. Once again, CSU-Pueblo rallied to put some distance on the scoreboard (16-11), but the Cowgirls responded yet again, coming within one point of the ThunderWolves twice (19-18, 21-20). The Cowgirls managed to tie the game up one more time (22-22) before the ThunderWolves rallied on a 3-point run to close out the second set (25-22).
Third Set (24-26)
The Cowgirls refused to go down without a fight and started out the second set with a 2-0 lead. The Cowgirls held on to their advantage until the ThunderWolves went on a 4-point run to take back the lead 13-11. The Cowgirls were not going to give up and they managed to tie the set up again at 18 points, 19 points, 21 points, 23 points, and 24 points. It looked like the Cowgirls were going to be able to pull off an upset in the third set until CSU-Pueblo scored two straight to take the set 26-24.
Fourth Set (22-25)
The ThunderWolves took the early advantage in the fourth set but, with the score at 6-4, the Cowgirls went on a 5-point run to take a 9-6 lead. CSU-Pueblo was going to have to work for the match on their home court and the Cowgirls held them at bay until the ThunderWolves were able to tie the game up at 17 points apiece. The Cowgirls responded with a 3-point run to go up 20-17, but the ThunderWolves answered with three points of their own to tie the set up again (20-20). The teams battled with the Cowgirls enjoying their final lead of the match (22-21), before the ThunderWolves were able to finish off the set and the match with a 4-point run (25-22).
Despite the loss to one of the top ranked teams in the RMAC, the Cowgirls have proven on two occasions that they are capable of battling with the best that the conference has to offer. They are contesting every set and will soon find that edge to turn the tide of their season, putting victories on the schedule in the very near future. The Cowgirls finished with 68.5 points as a team, just 1.5 points shy of the ThunderWolves 70 points.
The top-two performers for the Cowgirls on Tuesday night were
Bailey Weidner and
Alicia Moreno, who accounted for 18 points apiece. Weidner had 14 kills, three service aces, and two block assists. Moreno finished with 16 kills, one service ace, and two block assists.
The Cowgirls will return home Friday night, Oct. 4, to take on in-state rival Western New Mexico University at 7:00 p.m. in the John A. Wilson Complex. The Mustangs are currently in eighth place in the RMAC, with a 2-2 conference record and 9-3 in overall play. If you can't make it out to the gym to watch your Cowgirls in action, you can catch every point live on the internet video stream provided by the
America One Network.
GO COWGIRLS!!!
