Athletic Report
October 16, 2001

WTAMU DEFEATS ENMU IN LSC SOUTH MEETING
Lady Buffs Hit .374, Zias Hit .361 in Offensive Showcase
CANYON, TX — The Zias of Eastern New Mexico University gave the Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M University a fierce battle in their Lone Star Conference South Division match at the WTAMU Feildhouse in Canyon, Texas on Tuesday, Oct. 9.

Although the Lady Buffs won 3-0, the Zias were highly competitive in all three games, before falling, 30-26, 30-24, 30-24. Both teams excelled in their attacking. West Texas A&M earned 59 kills and a .374 hitting percentage. Eastern New Mexico amassed 52 kills with a .361 hitting percentage.

West Texas, ranked #1 in NCAA Division II, improved to 19-2 on the season and to 5-0 in the LSC South. The Zias dropped to 11-11 overall, 3-2 in the LSC South. Jennifer Cabanilla led the Lady Buffs with 19 kills, while Shannon Stroud added 17 kills for WTAMU. Stroud hit .577 during the match, and Cabanilla earned a .405 hitting percentage.

The Zias were paced by Christabell Mariner (Sr., MB, Pago Pago, Amer. Samoa/Tafuna H.S.), who recorded 17 kills and a .481 hitting percentage. Raina Pilon (Jr., MB, Eagan, MN/Paso-Hernando C.C.) provided 10 kills with a .455 hitting percentage.

In the first game, WTAMU took a 7-3 lead, but the Zias tied the game, 7-7. The Lady Buffs eventually led 20-16 and 25-11, only to have Eastern cut the deficit to a single point at 27-26. Two kills by the Lady Buffs and a ball-handling error by the Zias gave West Texas the final three points in a 30-26 win.

West Texas built a huge lead at the start of Game #1. The Lady Buffs were in front at one point, 15-4, but ENMU gradually fought back, using a 15-9 run to cut the deficit to 24-19. Eastern also trailed by five points at 25-20 on a kill by Jessica Rowley (Sr., OH, Dallas, OR/ Clackamas C.C.) and at 27-22 on a solo block by Mariner.

The teams alternated points on the next five rallies, as WTAMU claimed a 30-24 victory. Eastern led 9-7 in the third game, with Mariner providing three of the points on kills. The game was tied 10-10 and 19-19, before the Lady Buffs took the lead for good on a kill error by ENMU.

Several rallies later, the Zias trailed 24-21, but Mariner cut the deficit to two points with a kill. She also pulled Eastern within two points, at 25-23 and 26-24, with two more kills. West Texas concluded the match by winning the next four points.

Stroud led WTAMU with 11 digs. Kendra Morgan contributed 8 digs and Erin McClain was credited with 7 digs. Morgan also earned 5 kills on 7 total attacks (.714) and supplied the Lady Buffs with 47 assists.

Mariner provided 8 digs in addition to leading the Zias in kills. Rowley topped the ENMU lineup with 10 digs. Margie Goble (So., S, San Antonio, TX/Holmes H.S.) achieved 46 assists.

The Zias have almost a full week off before returning to action on Monday, Oct. 15, at cross-state rival Western New Mexico University. Match time in Silver City, N.M., is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. (MST).