Cowgirls come back 3-1 from the South Central Tournment

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4 Durant, Okla.- New Mexico Highlands Women's Volleyball team traveled to the Sooner State to play in the South Central Classic in Durant, Oklahoma. Your Cowgirls advanced their record to 3-1 overall and 0-0 RMAC.

 Highlands Women's Volleyball team played a total of 19 sets in just four matches.  In those four matches the Cowgirls had a total of 252 points, 210 kills, 56 aces, 22 blocks, 200 assists and  282 digs.

NMHU vs ECU:
For the first match, they faced East Central University Tigers on Friday afternoon (Sept. 2). The first set the Cowgirls struggled to get points on the board and ended up letting the Tigers have the first set (25-11 ECU). Then in the second set your Cowgirls fired back and with no problem took the second set (25-16 NMHU). Both teams battled in the third set to try and get the lead, but your Cowgirls took that set by six points (25-19 NMHU). Going into the fourth set, the Cowgirls and Tigers were going back and fourth on the scoreboard. Finally,  the Tigers made two attack errors  and Junior Marissa Hoffman got the kill to put the Cowgirls at match point.  Freshmen Sierra Foley and Brianna Montano blocked the ball to end the match.  (25-21 NMHU)

Final Score 3-1 NMHU

Cowgirl's offensive player of the game:
Junior Marissa Hoffman: 10 kills and 10 digs
Cowgirl's defensive player of the game:
Sophomore Bryanna Lopez: 15 digs
 
NMHU vs SOSU:
That same day (Sept.2), the Cowgirls faced the host team Southeastern Oklahoma State University Savage Storm. Both teams battled it out to the end of each set. The first set, the Savage Storm took it with back to back kills (25-20 SOSU). Then the second set, the Cowgirls rallied back with three straight kills and a block by Senior Jasmine Dixon and Junior Shayli Schulz (25-22 NMHU).  In the third set, the Cowgirls had a couple attack errors that helped the Savage Storm to grab the lead (25-19 SOSU). Fourth set, your Cowgirls came out hot and had the lead (15-9), but Southeastern was not going to give up and battled back. After a time-out was called by Highlands, your Cowgirls came out with the win ( 25-23 NMHU).  In the final set, the Cowgirls came out ready to go as they had a 3-1 lead, but Savage Storm came back and took the final set (15-9 SOSU).

Final Score 3-2 SOSU

Cowgirl's offensive players of the game:
Senior Caroline Hansen: 16 kills and 16 digs
Junior Shayli Schulz: 41 assists
Junior Kristin Woody: 14 kills
Senior Jasmine Dixon: 13 kills
Cowgirl's defensive player of the game:
Senior Lexis Satele: 27 digs
 
NMHU vs SAU
As the Cowgirls returned the next day (Sept. 3), they faced Southern Arkansas University Mulerider.  Both teams came out strong and battled until the end. With a service error from the Mulerider and back to back service aces from Junior Nicole Talamantes, Highlands took the first set (25-23 NMHU). Second set, the Muleriders came out killing it with rallying up a lead (13-3 SAU). Your Cowgirls did not back down, but Southern Arkansas took this one (25-11 SAU). Third set, Highlands capitalized on some of the Muleriders error and got them a head start (7-2 NMHU).  The Muleriders fought back and got themselves within three points (11-8 NMHU).  Then with seven straight plays, the Cowgirls got the score up by nine (19-10 NMHU). Highlands finished the set with a win and took the lead of the match for the second time (25-15 NMHU). Going into the fourth set, Southern Arkansas came out ready to tie the match up and got the lead by four (4-0 SAU). Your Cowgirls did not back down and rallied up seven straight points to gain the lead (12-10 NMHU).  Both teams were battling it out until the end, but the Muleriders came out on top (25-22 SAU). Final set, both teams came out ready to battle but your Cowgirls took the win thanks to two straight kills by Senior Jasmine Dixon and Junior Tianna Matthews to end the match (15-13 NMHU)

Final Score 3-2 NMHU

Cowgirl's offensive players of the game:
Senior Jasmine Dixon :12 kills and 3 blocks.
Junior Tianna Matthews: 12 kills and 3 blocks.
Senior Caroline Hansen: 10 kills and 13 digs
Cowgirl's defensive player of the game:
Sophomore Bryanna Lopez: 29 digs.
 

 NMHU vs CU
For the last game of the tournament, Highlands faced Cameron University Aggies.  It was a slow start for the Cowgirls and the Aggies took advance of that with a six point lead (11-5 CU).  Your Cowgirls rallied back and got within two points (12-10 CU), but Cameron University took the first set (25-16 CU). In the beginning of the second set, the Cowgirls found themselves with the lead (5-2 NMHU) but the Muleriders rallied some points to gain the lead by seven points (17-10 CU). The Aggies capitalized on the Cowgirls errors and took the second set (25-19 CU). The Cowgirls went into the third set down 2-0 in the match and both teams battled it out. The Cowgirls were trying to keep the match alive and Senior Caroline Hansen was not ready to go home. Hansen helped her team get their first win in the match with 7 of the 17 kills in that set (25-22 NMHU).  Staying alive, the Cowgirls came out strong and gained a five point lead (8-3 NMHU).  The Aggies did not back down and rallied back and tied the set up at 11.  Freshman  Brianna Montano did not back down and with two back to back kills, she helped the Cowgirls go into their fourth five set match of the tournament (25-23 NMHU).  It was a close set, with both teams trying to end the tournament with a win.  The Cowgirls were up (13-11 NMHU) , all they needed was two plays to send the Aggies packing.  With a kill from Montano and block assists from Shayli Schulz and Tianna Mattews, Cowgirls took the win home with them (15-11 NMHU).

Final Score 3-2 NMHU

Cowgirl's offensive players of the game:
Freshman Brianna Montano: 18 kills and 12 digs
Senior Caroline Hansen: 18 kills and 8 digs
Junior Kristin Woody 12 kills and 8 digs
Junior Shayli Schulz: 52 assists
Cowgirl's defensive players of the game:
Sophomore Bryanna Lopez: 35 digs
 

The Cowgirls continue play  in their first Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game on September 16th in Golden, Colorado against Colorado School of Mines at 7 pm.



GO COWGIRLS !!!!!!!!!!!