Midwestern State Holds Off Zias for 3-2 Win
at LSC Volleyball Crossover Tournament
ENMU Falls Behind 2-0, Rallies to Force 5th Game

ABILENE, TEXAS — Midwestern State University won the first two games, then held on for a 30-28, 30-27, 25-30, 19-30, 15-13 win over Eastern New Mexico University on the first day of the Lone Star Conference Crossover Tournament, Sept. 24 at Abilene Christian University. The Lady Indians improved to 8-7 with the victory and ended Eastern’s eight-match winning streak, as the Zias dropped to 9-3 on the season.

ENMU and MSU have now played two of their three meetings this month. Eastern took a
30-21, 30-25, 30-26 win over the Lady Indians on Sept. 6. The teams will face each other again on Monday, Sept. 27.

The LSC Crossover Tournament pits teams from the LSC North Division against teams from the LSC South. Results do not count in the LSC divisional standings. The tournament concludes tomorrow (Sept. 25), with ENMU facing Texas Woman’s University at 8 a.m. MDT and taking on Texas A&M University-Commerce at 2 p.m.

Midwestern State received 25 kills and a .358 hitting percentage from Abbi Meyer, plus 17 kills from Rachel Gilmore. The Lady Indians achieved 10 service aces during the match, including five in the first game, as they outscored the Zias, 30-28.

In the second game, MSU took a 10-5 lead, but the Zias rallied for a 21-20 advantage. The Lady Indians scored the next three points as part of a 7-3 run for a 27-24 margin. ENMU got within 28-26 and 29-27, but LaToya Terry registered a kill to end the game.

The Zias won the third game, 30-25, behind eight kills from outside hitter Anna Bellum (Sr., Albuquerque, NM/Garden City CC). Bellum led the Zias with 22 kills during the match. Eastern continued its rally with a 30-19 win in the fourth game. MSU built a 10-7 advantage, only to have the Zias score six of the next eight points to move in front, 13-12. ENMU retained momentum on the way to an overall run of 17-5, as the Zias took a 24-15 lead. The Lady Indians scored the next three points, but Eastern answered with three points of its own to return to a nine-point lead at 27-18. Meyer recorded a kill for MSU before Eastern closed out the game.

The decisive fifth game featured 12 kills and a .276 attack percentage for MSU, while the Zias had six kills and a .250 attack percentage. The Lady Indians soared out to a 7-3 lead on the strength of three kills by Rachel Gilmore. Meyer added three kills, including the final point of the match, as MSU won the game, 15-13.

Joining Meyer and Gilmore with double-digit kills for MSU was Kate Pence with 12. The Lady Indians finished the match with 74 kills, but hit just .134. Midwestern State also had 100 digs, with Ashley Godwin providing 24, Pench tacking on 22 and Diedre Shawen earning 16.

Bellum recorded just over 1/3 of Eastern’s 61 kills, while Lindsay Schiely (Jr., MB, Portland, OR/Clackamas CC) contributed 10 kills and Grace George (So., MB, Kaaawa, HI/Kahuka HS) connected for nine kills. Bellum topped the ENMU defensive chart with 20 digs and three block assists. Jessica Weeks (Sr., LIB, Brownell, KS/Garden City CC) earned 17 digs and Olivia Boan (Jr., DS, Portales, NM/Portales HS) registered 14 digs.