LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Due to a scheduling change, the New Mexico Highlands volleyball team will battle rival Western New Mexico (4-9, 1-5 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) Tuesday (Sept. 30) in Las Vegas at 5:30 p.m. It will also be a rivalry game to open up October as the Cowgirls battle Adams State (7-7, 2-4 RMAC) Friday (Oct. 3) at 4 p.m.
New Mexico Highlands is coming off a week where they won its first conference match of the year against Chadron State on Friday (Sept. 26) in straight sets. Despite the long trip to Nebraska, the Cowgirls have won the last two matches in the Cornhusker State. It was a balanced effort in the win, with eight kills from sophomore
Andrea Nunez and double-digit digs from senior
Alicia Moreno and
Jessica Piper. To read more, click
here. Against Black Hills State on Thursday (Sept. 25), the Cowgirls battled back after losing the first two sets. However, Highlands fell in the fifth set for the 3-2 loss. Piper achieved the rare libero double-double with 26 digss and 15 assists, leading the team in both categories.
To read more, click
here. Finally, Highlands finished the weekend with a straight-set lost to UC-Colorado Springs.
To read more, click
here. Scouting Western New Mexico Both the Cowgirls and Western New Mexico enter the match Tuesday needing wins to keep pace in the race to make the RMAC Tournament. Highlands leads the Mustangs in most statistical categories, including 11.06-10.84 in kills per set, but Western New Mexico will look to push its advantage at the net. Western New Mexico is third in the conference and 43rd in the nation with 2.18 blocks per set, compared to Highlands being 12th in the conference and 167th in the nation with 1.65 blocks per set.
Like the Cowgirls, no Mustang is in the top-20 in the conference in kills per set. However, the theme for Western New Mexico is blocks. Heather Verrill is sixth in the conference and 67th in the NCAAs with 1.04 blocks per set.
Scouting Adams State It will be a week where Highlands must be extra vigilant on the block as Adams State's biggest asset is its frontline defense.
Adams State is seventh in the RMAC, but 54th in the nation, in blocks with 2.12 per set. Mallory Grimsrud is 34th in the nation individually with 1.12 blocks per set. The Cowgirls will also need to find a way to stop Lindsey Stindt, who is 26th in the NCAAs with 193 total kills and 43rd in the country with 3.78 kills per set.
Next Up The Volleyball team will hit the road for a trio of matches, including a battle against non-conference rival Eastern New Mexico in Portales next Tuesday. The Cowgirls defeated the Zias back on Sept. 6 in four sets.
