It was just what the Lady Stangs needed, a huge win against a nationally ranked team and they got it Friday night on Drag's Court. WNMU is sitting near the top of the West Division in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and as the season begins to wind down, needs to win to ensure a spot in the post season tournament. Facing a the #12 ranked Colorado School of Mines Orediggers seemed like a huge hurdle but the Lady Stangs were up to the task having beaten #17 Metro State earlier this season.
Western came out strong in the first set building an 11-6 lead on the strength of a double block from Seluia Falealili and Lauren Buseman followed by a solo block from Buseman. CSM called a timeout but it wasn't going to slow the home team as Angelina Pulu recorded a kill shot sparking a run that put WNMU on top 18-11. Mines would hang with WNMU as the teams traded points. Then Falealili and Alyssa Meihack finished the set with authority posting back to back kill shots giving WNMU the win, 25-17. That set the tone for the evening.
Western raced out to another early lead in the second set, 10-5 as Falealili pounded back to back kill shots. Mines answered with 3 straight points to close the gap to 2. Western wasn't going to have any of that as the Lady Stangs went on a 7-1 run with Buseman and Pulu recording a couple of double blocks to start the rally. Holding a 17-9 lead, WNMU relaxed a bit and let the Orediggers get within 3 at 22-19. Heather Rux took control posting a kill shot followed by a Mines error. Mines got a couple of points but Rux finished the set with another kill handing WNMU a 2-0 lead winning the second set 25-21.
You can't keep a good team down however and Mines rallied in sets 3 and 4 to force a match deciding 5th set. The third set saw the two teams tied 11 times with the last tie coming at 20 before the Orediggers posted 5 of the next 6 points to put the set away. The #12 team in the nation kept the momentum in the 4th set building a 12-6 lead before going on a 9-0 tear to put Western in a deep hole. Mines would win set four easily, 25-10.
With the match on the line both teams fought hard. WNMU grabbed the first two points but CSM would hold the lead at 7-5 and again at 9-8 as the each team played with determination. An attack error gave WNMU the lead at 10-9 when Buseman nailed a kill shot followed shortly by Ziona Verhulsdonk with a kill of her own. Western was up 13-11 forcing CSM to call a timeout. Unlike the TO in the first set which saw WNMU pour on the coal, CSM rallied with 3 straight points to retake the lead 14-11. That put CSM at match point as the teams play to 15 in the fifth set. It seemed a pall had set over Drag's Court and WNMU might be letting the win slip away. Coach Callendar called a timeout to rally his troops and the move worked brilliantly. Verhulsdonk posted a kill after a CSM error and Mustang kill shot knotted the set at 14 a piece. CSM got the next point but Western rallied forcing an Oredigger error and once again the teams were tied, this time at 15. Pulu kept the Stangs in the match with a kill, answering an Oredigger kill. The pressure on both teams was almost palatable as a ball handling error by CSM gave Western a 17-16 edge and their first match point. But the visiting team answered with a kill to tie the game once more. That would be the final tie of the match. Pulu delivered a kill on the next point and Buseman put away a weak return after a long rally and WNMU had the win, 19-17 and 3-2 in the match.
The win puts WNMU at 11-11 overall, 8-4 in conference play just 1 game behind West Division leading Adams State University. WNMU will need to calm themselves as they face Colorado Christian University at 7 p.m. tonight on Drag's Court.
Lady Stang VB Knocks Off #12 Orediggers
- Category: Sports
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