LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The Cowgirls flexed their muscles at the end of sets, winning the odd franess on their serve, as New Mexico Highlands volleyball (10-12, 5-7 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) won a thriller in five against CSU-Pueblo (12-10, 6-6 RMAC) 27-25, 23-25, 25-19, 23-25, 15-11 Saturday night (Oct. 18) in Las Vegas, N.M.
After a grueling four sets which both teams split, the Cowgirls were able to utilize their serving specialist in the fifth to claim the win. Down 2-1 in the fifth, freshman
Tianna Matthews recorded a kill and sophomore
Lexis Satele subbed in. Satele helped herself with a kill and a Thunderwolves error put the home team up 4-2 and forced a CSU-Pueblo timeout. For good measure, Matthews closed the run with another kill.
CSU-Pueblo closed within 6-5, but a kill from senior
Alicia Moreno put the Cowgirls back on serve. A Thunderwolves error and an assisted block by freshmen
Katie Trammel and
Kristin Woody put Highlands up 9-5. CSU-Pueblo climbed within 12-10 on a kill off an overpass, but freshman
Talise Babbitt answered with a kill. The Thunderwolves sided out, but freshman
Shayli Schulz kill put the Cowgirls on match point. In came Satele to serve, and a kill from Moreno – who led the Cowgirls with Woody with 16 kills – ended the marathon.
Woody led the Cowgirls with 16 kills and only two errors on 39 swings (.359 percent) while Schulz recorded her second double-double of the season with 35 assists and 13 digs. Matthews added 13 kills and five blocks while senior
Jessica Piper narrowly missed a double-double with 34 digs and nine assists. Her total digs was the 13th highest in a match this season in NCAA Division II.
For CSU-Pueblo, Morgan Wilkening (18 kills, 13 digs) and Jordan Bruere (18 assists, 16 digs) both added double-doubles.
The match was about as even as one can get as the Cowgirls narrowly outhit CSU-Pueblo .279-.241.
Set one saw CSU-Pueblo mount a huge rally but the Cowgirls never relinquished a set point. With Highlands clinging to a 22-21 lead, both team sided out the next eight points. However, the Cowgirls were able to stay afloat until Satale was able to sub in and serve with the Cowgirls up 26-25. Satale recorded her first of three aces to end set one.
Satale also tallied aces in the first two points of set two.
While set two went the way of the Thunderwolves, the Cowgirls were able to make CSU-Pueblo sweat. The visitors had three set points at 24-21, but Highlands pulled within one on a Schulz kill and a CSU-Pueblo error. After a timeout, Wilkening recorded the kill to tie the match at one.
Set three went back and forth until Schulz's serve helped push the lead to 20-16. Tied at 16, Moreno put Schulz on serve with a kill. A Woody kill and a CSU-Pueblo made it 19-16 before Schulz hit the net on a serve that trickled over for an ace and put the Cowgirls ahead 20-16. The Cowgirls went on to win the set 25-19.
Set four is where the fireworks ensued. The Cowgirls led 22-16 before a service rally by the visitor's Alex Sansavera put the Thunderwolves in the lead. It all started with a Highlands service error. Mariangel Perez recorded the kill and a Highlands hitting error brought the visitors within two. Oni Lattin recorded a pair of kills and Prez added a pair more to put CSU-Pueblo in the lead at 23-22. After both teams sided out, Wilkening sent the match to the fifth on a kill.
Set five went to the Cowgirls, thanks in part to a tide 12 kills and only two errors on 26 swings (.385 percentage), compare to just .185 hitting percentage for the visitors.
The Cowgirls face a critical week in the march for the RMAC Tournament as they travel to Western New Mexico Wednesday (Oct. 22) before closing out the weekend at Adams State on Oct. 25.
