Zias Win Five-set Marathon
Defeat LCU to Raise Record to 4-2

PORTALES, N.M. — It was a marathon match, but the Eastern New Mexico University volleyball team was able to come out on top in a five-set contest (30-28, 29-31, 31-29, 27-30, 15-12) with Lubbock Christian University. The Zias won games one, three, and five en route to the victory, improving their record to 4-2 on the season. LCU fell to 6-4.

The contest went back and forth all night, lasting an ENMU season-high 2:27. The Zias were led by Anna Bellum (Sr., OH, Albuquerque, NM/Garden City CC) and Lindsay Schiely (Jr., MB, Portland, OR/Clackamas CC), who posted 21 and 17 kills, respectively. Emilie Rodman (Sr., MB, Gillette, WY/Western Wyoming CC) made 14 kills of her own, as the Zias averaged just under 14 kills per game as a unit.

Each team led at one point in each of the five games, but the Zias were able to fend off the Lady Chapparals in the final game. ENMU took a 9-5 lead in the game, but LCU notched three straight points to trim the lead to 9-8. Eastern then got a crucial kill from Kelley McGinty (Sr., OH, Longview, WA/Whatcom CC), and went on to a 15-12 victory in the decisive game.

The Zias dropped the fourth game despite holding a 19-13 lead, as LCU came storming back to take the lead in the game, 22-21. ENMU made just 11 kills in game four, and negated that with 14 errors on 51 attempts. In game three, Eastern took the lead at 4-3 and never relinquished it, though LCU was able to fight to ties at 27 and 29. ENMU posted 18 kills during the game, while LCU had just 10.

The second game was neck-and-neck most of the way, but the Zias were on the verge of putting LCU down 2-0 with the score at 29-27. Then LCU was able to surge ahead with four straight points to knot the match at one game apiece. In the first game, ENMU fought back from being down 12-7 to take the lead at 24-23. The Zias retained the lead for the remainder of the game and held on for a 30-28 triumph.

Margie Goble (Sr., S, San Antonio, TX/Holmes HS) led the Zias with 62 assists in the match, adding two kills and 15 digs. Libero Jessica Weeks (Sr., Brownell, KS/Garden City CC) posted 40 digs to lead the home squad.

Meagan Kamplain paced the Lady Chapparals with 21 kills on 74 attempts for a .162 attack percentage. Denise Brensing posted 17 kills in the loss.

The Zias play next on Tuesday, Sept. 14 when they host New Mexico Highlands University for a 7 p.m. MDT contest at Greyhound Arena.