Zias Sweep Final Day of Lady Buff Challenge
Improve record to 15-5 on the season

Box score, Game 1
Box score, Game 2

CANYON, TEXAS — The Eastern New Mexico University volleyball team (15-5) finished off the BritKare Lady Buff Challenge with a clean sweep, defeating St. Mary's University and Texas A&M University-Commerce in Eastern's final two matches of the tournament. The Zias defeated the Hilltoppers in four games (30-24, 27-30, 30-28, 30-24) and the Lions in three games (30-19, 30-21, 30-20).

Eastern, ranked sixth in the Southwest Region, began the day against St. Mary's, ranked seventh in the region, and defeated SMU (13-6) in four games for the second time this season. The Zias defeated the Hilltoppers three games to one on Sept. 18 at the LSC/Heartland Crossover Tournament.

Lindsay Schiely (Jr., MB, Portland, OR/Clackamas CC) and Kelley McGinty (Sr., OH, Longview, WA/Whatcom CC) each posted 16 kills in the victory, with Schiely hitting a robust .424 in the match. Anna Bellum (Sr., OH, Albuquerque, NM/Garden City CC) made 14 kills for Eastern, while Grace George (So., MB, Kaaawa, HI/Kahuku HS) added 13.

The Zias had significant contributions in the match from both of its setters. Senior Margie Goble (San Antonio, TX/Holmes HS) made 33 assists, while junior transfer Amber McCarthy (Huntington Beach, CA/Orange County CC) posted 25.

Jessica Weeks (Sr., LIB, Brownwell, KS/Garden City CC) led the Zia defense with 19 digs in the match. Olivia Boan (Jr., DS, Portales, NM/Portales HS) and McGinty each made 15 digs, while Bellum registered 11. George led the Zias with four blocks, two solo, in the match.

Morgan Spencer led the Hilltoppers with 15 kills in the contest, while Lindsey Van Horn and Anna Seals made 14 in a losing effort. SMU hit .144 for the match, while Eastern hit .214.

In the second match of the day, ENMU dropped Commerce (3-16) in straight games, outhitting the Lions .344 to .119. McGinty led the Zias with 12 kills in the match, making just two errors in the process. Emilie Rodman (Sr., MB, Gillette, WY/Western Wyoming CC) led Eastern regulars with a .462 attack percentage, as all but four ENMU players hit .370 or better.

McCarthy registered 20 assists in the match, with Goble chipping in 15. Goble is now just three assists away from 5,000 in her career. McGinty made 12 digs in the match to lead the Zias.

Eastern brings its three-game winning streak back to Canyon on Tuesday, Oct. 12 at 6 p.m. (MDT) when it takes on Lone Star Conference South opponent West Texas A&M University. It should be a crucial contest, as the two teams both enter the contest 0-2 in the LSC South. Eastern has not defeated the Lady Buffs since Oct. 26, 1995.