PUEBLO, Colo. --- The New Mexico Highlands volleyball team overcame dropping the opening game to take the next three and pick up a key RMAC road victory over CSU-Pueblo 3-1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-22, 25-21) Tuesday night.
After dropping the first game – a game it trailed from the opening point – NMHU (4-7 overall, 2-1 RMAC) led for the majority of the next two games (leading by at least seven points early on in each game and never relinquishing the lead) to take a 2-1 advantage in the match on the ThunderWovles (3-9, 1-2).
CSU-Pueblo regained momentum in the fourth game and led 15-11 before the Cowgirls mounted a comeback. A kill by
Julie Staffler and an ace from
Tiffany Matchett ignited a 5-1 run for NMHU capped by a CSU-Pueblo attack error that tied the game at 16-16.
The match remained tied at 21-21 before Matchett took over to help put away the Thunderwolves. The senior blasted a kill to break the tie and accounted for two of the next three NMHU points with kills to give the Cowgirls the game 25-21 and the match.
Matchett finished the match with 13 kills to go along with 14 digs.
Cynthia Norris had eight kills, Staffler finished with seven kills and
Stacy Johnson had six.
Celina Naranjo had a team-high 21 assists while
Soleil Gandara added 14,
Elena Rivera led the team with 33 digs and
Camryn Nelson had two kills, three aces and 11 digs.
After playing their first 11 matches on the road, the Cowgirls finally play their home opener 7 p.m. Friday when they host Black Hills State at Wilson Complex. NMHU hosts South Dakota School of Mines at 6 p.m. Saturday.
