9/10/2021 | Women’s Volleyball | Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

WICHITA FALLS, Texas – The Eastern New Mexico volleyball team fell in its opening two games at the MSU Hampton Inn-Vitational, on Friday, Sept. 10. First, the Greyhounds suffered a 3-0 defeat against Arkansas Tech, followed by a 3-0 loss to Midwestern State.

GAME ONE: ATU 3, ENMU 0

Arkansas Tech opended the match strong, but the Hounds replied immediately with a 6-0 run to surge to an 9-5 lead. The six-point stretch consisted of two Gracelyn Stubbs kills, along with Kali Nelsongrabbing a kill and a solo block. From that point, the Golden Suns went on to tally a 6-0 run of their own, bringing the score to 11-9 in their favor. Both teams traded points back and forth bringing the score line to 22-22. The breakthrough came at 25-25, with ATU’s Emily Ragsdale finding a kill then a service ace to take the first set 27-25.

In the second set, the Greyhounds fell behind early 5-0, but climbed back to bring them within one point, 7-6 ATU. From then, Arkansas Tech used a four-point run to build separation, 11-6. The Hounds battled back late putting the score to 20-19 in favor of ATU. However, the Golden Suns did not relinquish its lead, finishing the set on top 25-22.

Both teams opened the third set trading points, until ATU snapped the streak taking a slim 13-11 lead over the Greyhounds. Eastern continued to persist, taking the score back to 17-17 tie, following a kill from Jordan O’Connor-Dempsey and block from O’Connor-Dempsey and Rylee Mapes. With both teams at 24 points, the Golden Suns put together a kill from Brianna Merkel and a service ace from Maggie Schlueter, ending the set 26-24, and the match 3-0 in favor of Arkansas Tech.

NOTABLE STATS

  • ATU outpaced ENMU in kills, 40-38, but the Greyhounds held the edge in digs, 33-28.
  • Stubbs (9), Mikaela Garvin (9), and Nelson (8) all led the Hounds in kills on the day.
  • Rae Sapiga was the leader in assists for the Greyhound with 16, while Qitana Sapiga was just behind with 13 assists.
  • On defense, Jasmine Gannon provided nine digs, close behind was Daejia Rodriguez with eight digs.
  • Stubbs led the team in blocks with four, Nelson followed with three blocks.

GAME TWO: MSU 3, ENMU 0

The home team got out to hot start, taking a seven-point lead, 12-5, in the first set. ENMU work to bring back the score, coming within three point, 18-15 Midwestern. However, MSU stitched together a 5-1 run to take a 23-16. Eastern mounted a late comeback attempt, but it was not enough as Midwestern collected the first set 25-22.

Set number two saw the Mustangs jump out to an early 7-2 lead, following a 5-0 streak. Later, Midwestern held on to its advantage by nine with a 21-12 standing. ENMU cut the deficit down to as low as five, but MSU finished the set by a final score of 25-18.

The Greyhounds jumped out early on the Mustangs taking a 9-6, in the third stanza. Eastern grabbed this lead following a four straight points, including two blocks and kills from ENMU. Midwestern erased the gap bringing the score to 11-10, in their favor. Both teams traded points going forward. With the score at 23-20 MSU, ENMU rattled off three points to bring the score even at 23-23. However, the Mustangs collected the final two points of the match, winning the final set 25-23, and the match 3-0.

NOTABLE STATS

  • Midwestern notched 49 kills, opposed to ENMU’s 30 kills.
  • Stubbs led the offense with seven kills, Garvin contributed six kills.
  • R. Sapiga and Q.Sapiga supplied 13 assists and 10 assists for the Greyhounds.
  • Rodriguez led all Hounds with eight digs. 

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

  • Garvin (9) and Nelson (8) set new career highs in kills during the match against Arkansas Tech.
  • Kimber Roberts made their collegiate debut for the Greyhounds against Midwestern.
  • Eastern finishes its weekend trip tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 11, with a single match against nationally ranked #22 Colorado Mesa beginning at 1 p.m.