LAS VEGAS, N.M. – A flurry of points at the end of all four sets pushed the New Mexico Highlands volleyball team (11-16) to a four set victory against rival Eastern New Mexico (12-16) 28-26, 26-24, 20-25, 25-23 Tuesday night (Nov. 4) in the home finale for the Cowgirls this season.
The Zias were able to be on set point at 24-23 each of the first two sets, but the Cowgirls rallied to take both frames. With Highlands down 24-23 in the first, freshman
Kristin Woody tied the set with a kill and classmate
Riley Smith came up with a huge ace. Agatha Gibbons – who co-led the Zias with Lauren Frye with 12 kills – knotted the match at 25. Both team sided out to the 26th point, but a senior
Alicia Moreno kill put the Cowgirls on set point. Moreno finished her home career with her 17th double-double in two seasons, tallying 13 digs and 12 kills.
Freshman
Tianna Matthews ended the first set with an ace.
Set two saw the same fireworks when a Moreno error put the visitors on set point at 24-23. The Cowgirls did not mess around this time as a kill by freshman
Tianna Matthews put herself on serve. A Zias attack error put Highlands on set point and senior
Elizabeth Gomez and freshman
Shayli Schulz teamed up on a block to end the frame.
The Cowgirls tied set three at 20 after being down by three, but Eastern New Mexico scored the last five points to take the frame. With Highlands down 20-17, Woody recorded a kill and two Zia errors tied the set. However, Brooklyn Biel recorded a kill which put Courtney Lawson on serve. Lindsey Barron recorded one of her 11 kills and a Lawson aced forced a Highlands timeout. It did not deter the visitors as an attack error and a solo block by Lawson sent the match to the fourth set for the third time in as many meetings in 2014 between the two teams.
End of the set magic reared its head again for the Cowgirls in the fourth. With Highlands down 23-21, freshman
Talise Babbitt recorded a kill to put senior
Jessica Piper on serve. Babbitt wrapped a pair of kills around a Zia attack error to end the match. Finishing with a match-best 14 kills off the bench, Babbitt recorded five kills in the final set alone.
Piper finished her career in style at home with a match high 21 digs.
The Cowgirls look to put themselves in position to make the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament in the final weekend of the season as they travel to take on CSU-Pueblo and Western State.
