LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The Cowgirls lost a heart-breaking first set to the Grizzlies and could not recover as New Mexico Highlands (6-11, 2-6 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) fell to visiting Adams State (8-7, 3-4 RMAC) 31-29, 25-19, 25-20 Friday afternoon (Oct. 3) at the Wilson Complex.
With Highlands down 17-16 in set one, freshman
Shayli Schulz – who led the team with 24 assists – put herself on serve with a kill to ignite a 4-0 run. Senior
Alicia Moreno followed with a kill while Moreno and freshman
Tianna Matthews teamed up for the block. An Adams State error forced a timeout. However, the Grizzlies quickly retied the match on two kills by Emily Langley around a Highlands error.
With Highlands on set point at 25-24, the Grizzlies took the lead on kills by Lindsey Stindt and Alex Parker. Tied later at 29, a kill by Mallory Grimsrud and a Grimsrud and Katelyn Schwartz block gave the visitors the first set. Adams State won the set by outhitting Highlands .302-.188
For the match for Adams State, Stindt led all hitters with 14 kills while Katelyn Schwartz had the matches only double-double with 39 assists and 10 digs.
After the grueling first set, Adams took as large of a lead as eight in set two. Down 22-14, the Cowgirls went on an 8-3 run but it was not enough. While Highlands improved to hit .250 in the set, Adams State countered with a .406 hitting percentage.
Set two saw the Cowgirls rally from an early five-point deficit, but five unanswered by the visitors in the middle of the third all but ended the match. Grimsrud put Adams State on top for good with a kill, followed by a successful swing by Stindt. Alex Parker – who had a match-best six blocks – followed with an assisted block with Schwartz. A Highlands attack error and a Savannah Smith kill put Adams State up by four.
Moreno led the team with 12 kills while
Andrea Nunez had a match-best 14 digs.
The Cowgirls will step out of conference Tuesday when it travels to Portales, New Mexico, to take on Eastern New Mexico. First serve is set for 6 p.m.
