NMHU volleyball hosts final two regular season games, looks to keep postseason hopes alive

LAS VEGAS, N.M. --- The New Mexico Highlands volleyball team will likely need two wins this weekend in its final two regular season games to have a shot at qualifying for the RMAC Tournament as the Cowgirls host Western Colorado on Friday and Fort Lewis on Saturday. 

NMHU at 5-11 in RMAC play is one game back of Fort Lewis for the final spot into the RMAC Tournament - tied with three other teams (Adams State, South Dakota Mines and UCCS). Those teams are also two games back of Colorado Christian - which sits at 7-9.

COWGIRLS HEADING INTO THIS WEEK | 2021 SEASON STATS
NMHU hit the road last weekend and lost at No. 24 Regis 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-23). Terayah Stukes led the team with 12 kills while Elena Rivera had a team-best 13 digs and Soleil Gandara had 32 assists.

Lisi Langi continues to lead the team in kills at 2.76 per set followed by Stukes (2.53), Keegan Lopez (2.44), Angellina Oliver (1.91) and Johnson (1.93). Gandara is averaging a team-best 10.2 assists per set (fourth in the RMAC) while Johnson leads the team with 28 aces. Rivera has a team-high 3.96 digs per set while Johnson leads the team in blocks per set at 0.87 - juts head of Oliver (0.83).

WESTERN COLORADO HEADING INTO THE WEEK | 2021 SEASON STATS
The Mountaineers are coming off a split at home last weekend, falling to No. 1 MSU Denver 3-0 (27-25, 25-16, 25-22) before bouncing back to sweep Colorado Christian 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-22) on Saturday behind a team-best 13 kills from Emily Mangone.

Mangone leads the team in kills per set at 2.27 followed by Kat Finnerty (2.23). Alex Galicia (6.64) and Hailee Martinez (5.25) have both seen heavy duty at setter while Martinez has a team-best 21 aces. Elizabeth Rupprecht leads the team at 4.51 digs per set while Finnerty is averaging 1.08 blocks per set.

FORT LEWIS HEADING INTO THE WEEK | 2021 SEASON STATS
The Skyhawks are in the midst of a four-match losing streak after falling at home to Colorado Christian (3-1) and No. 1 MSU Denver (3-0) - a spiral that has nearly taken them out of the RMAC postseason hunt (they play Adams State on Friday before coming to Las Vegas). 

The teams played earlier this season in Durango with FLC winning in five.

Alexi Hobie leads the team in kills at 2.73 per set while Payton Harmann has been the team's primary settat 5.95 assists per set. Kamryn Lopez has a team-best 21 aces and 3.60 digs per set Avynn La Rose is averaging a team-high 0.53 blocks per set.