ENMU Defeats Fort Lewis and N.M. Highlands to Tie for Torneo de Amigas Championship

PORTALES, NM – The Zias of Eastern New Mexico University swept Fort Lewis College in three games and defeated New Mexico Highlands University in four games on the second day of the ENMU Torneo de Amigas, Sept. 7 at Greyhound Arena. The wins enabled ENMU to tie Western New Mexico University for first place in the tournament with a 3-1 record. The Zias downed Fort Lewis quickly, winning 30-21, 30-19, 30-22. Eastern rallied past NMHU after losing the first game to take a 24-30, 30-22, 30-21, 30-27 victory over the Cowgirls.

ENMU completed the tournament with a 7-2 record for the season. WNMU, now 8-1 overall, defeated ENMU on Sept. 6, in five games, but lost to Adams State in five games on Sept. 7. The Zias and the Mustangs were followed in the Torneo de Amigas standings by Fort Lewis (2-2), Adams State College (1-3) and N.M. Highlands (1-3).

Against Fort Lewis, all six Eastern starters finished with six or more kills. Raina Pilon (Sr., MB, Eagan, MN/Pasco-Hernando CC) led the team with 11 kills. Courtney Wallenborn (Sr., RS, Camas, WA/Mt. Hood CC) provided 9 kills, while Christabell Mariner (Sr., MB/OH, Pago Pago, American Samoa/Tafuna HS) connected for 8 kills.

April Brockmann (Sr., MB, Tempe, AZ/Chandler-Gilbert CC) and Anya Mack (Jr., OH/RS, Cope, CO/Sheridan JC) each contributed 7 kills for the Zias. Junior setter Margie Goble (San Antonio, TX/Holmes HS) added six kills to go with 39 assists.

Wallenborn led the Zias with 14 digs. Mack earned 13 digs, Mariner supplied 12 digs and Pilon was credited with 10 digs. The Zias also totaled eight aces, including four by Brockmann.

On offense, the Zias hit .262 for the match. Defensively, Eastern registered 69 digs and achieved 9.0 team total blocks. Brockmann and Mariner ranked first on the squad with five blocks apiece.

Fort Lewis was limited by ENMU to a .073 team hitting percentage. The Skyhawks also managed just 48 digs. Moreen Baylis was FLC’s top player, with 9 kills and 9 digs. Setter Annie Mortensen produced 30 assists, 11 digs and two service aces.

Against NMHU, the Zias were able to overcome a slow start to defeat the Cowgirls in four games. In the first game, Eastern’s team hitting percentage was just .022, as the Zias recorded 12 kills and had 11 errors on 46 total attacks. ENMU registered 50 kills with just 16 errors the rest of the way, raising the Zias’ hitting percentage to .226 for the match.
Highlands took the first game, 30-24, but the Zias stormed back with 30-22 and 30-21 wins in the next two games. A hard fought fourth game followed, with the Zias slipping past the Cowgirls, 30-27.

Mariner finished the match with 20 kills, giving her 20 or more kills in three of Eastern’s four matches during the tournament. Mariner also contributed 9 digs, five blocks and four service aces. Wallenborn and Pilon each added 12 ills, while Mack produced 16 digs and Goble dished out 50 assists. Goble also earned 12 digs for the Zias. Brockmann had a solid match, with eight kills, eight digs and four blocks.

The Zias recorded an impressive 15.0 team total blocks. Pilon led the Zias with six total blocks, all on block assists. NMHU tied the Zias with 63 digs and added a solid 9.0 team total blocks. The Cowgirls, however, hit just .100 during the match.

Christina Carle ranked first for Highlands with 17 kills. Becky Gonzales pounded out 13 kills, while Lauren Noriega supplied 15 digs. Setter Peggy Hongthong achieved 43 assists to go with seven digs and two service aces.

Mariner and Goble were selected to the Torneo de Amigas All-Tournament Team. Other All-Tournament selections were Hongthong of NMHU, outside hitter Kimberly Tano of Western New Mexico, Baylis of Fort Lewis College and outside hitter Elena Goldina of Adams State.