Zias Hit .330 in Three-Game Sweep of TexAnns
ENMU is 22-7, 6-3 in LSC South

STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS — The Eastern New Mexico University Zias achieved a .330 hitting percentage against Tarleton State University on Thursday, Nov. 4, on their way to defeating the TexAnns, 30-21, 30-27, 30-26, in a Lone Star Conference match lasting just one hour and five minutes. The Zias, ranked #6 in the Southwest Region of NCAA Division II, upped their overall record to 22-7, and improved to 6-3 in the LSC South. The TexAnns dropped below .500 at 16-17, while falling to 1-8 in the LSC South.

Tarleton State hit a respectable .224 for the match, but struggled in the first and third games, hitting .147 and .146, respectively. In the second game, the TexAnns pounded out a .406 attack percentage (16-3-32), but allowed ENMU to hit .517 (18-3-29), as the Zias took a 2-0 lead in the match. Eastern hit .379 in the first game. The Zias managed a modest .154 in the third game, but still closed out the match.

Four ENMU players registered eight or more kills, led by Lindsay Schiely (Sr., MB, Portland, OR/Clackamas CC) with 11 and Grace George (So., MB, Kaaawa, HI/Kahuka HS) with 10. George led the team with a .625 hitting percentage and no attacking errors on 16 total attacks. Schiely concluded the match with a .533 hitting percentage (11-3-15). Emilie Rodman (Sr., MB, Gillette, WY/WesternWyoming CC) added nine kills and hit .294.

Anna Bellum (Sr., OH, Albuquerque, NM/Garden City CC) recorded eight kills with a .238 attack percentage. Senior setter Margie Goble (San Antonio, TX/Holmes HS) had four kills on five attacks, to go with 18 assists and four digs. Amber McCarthy (Jr., S, Huntington Beach, CA/ Orange Coast CC) led the Zias with 23 assists.

Kelley McGinty (Sr., OH, Longview, WA/Whatcom CC) topped the ENMU chart with 11 digs. Olivia Boan (Jr., DS, Portales, NM/Portales HS) was credited with eight digs for the Zias.

Eastern earned nine service aces. McCarthy provided three aces, while Schiely, Bellum and Jessica Weeks (Sr., LIB, Brownell, KS/Garden City CC) each supplied two aces. The Zias made six service errors.

Tarleton State had seven aces, included three by Missy Davis, but the TexAnns committed 13 service errors. TSU also was called for five blocking errors compared to just one by ENMU.

Davis, with 15 kills, was the top offensive performer for the TexAnns. Sheniqua Browder added 10 kills and 10 digs, while Desiree Reed produced eight kills and hit .333 on 15 attacks. Eastern held a 36-26 lead in digs, and recorded 8.5 team total blocks on two block solos and 13 block assists. Tarleton State had 4.0 total blocks on eight block assists.

The Zias will close out the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 6, at Texas A&M University- Kingsville. Match time is set for 11 a.m. MST. Eastern needs a win to tie Angelo State University for second place in the LSC South.

Abilene Christian University, 9-1, has clinched first place in the LSC South. Angelo State, 7-3, and Eastern have joined the Wildcats in clinching LSC Tournament berths.

ASU holds the tie-breaker with ENMU, so the Zias will be the #3 seed from the LSC South even if they finish tied for second place with the Rambelles. The LSC Tournament is scheduled for Nov. 11-13, and will be hosted by Cameron University, 9-0, which has already clinched the North Division title.