Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
New Mexico
Volleyball Sweeps New Mexico
10/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 21, 2006
The Colorado State volleyball team swept the New Mexico Lobos to improve to 14-6 on the year and 8-2 in Mountain West Conference play, 30-18, 31-29, 30-28. The Lobos fall to 7-15 overall and 3-7 in league action. Colorado State is now a perfect 3-0 in extra-point games in conference play and has won nine straight matches.
Colorado State was led by senior outside hitter Katherine Whitney with 15 kills, while both sophomore outside hitter Jaime Strauss and junior right-side hitter Tonya Mokelki each chipped in 11 kills. Freshman libero Katelin Batten led the team with 15 digs, while Mokelki tallied 11 and both Strauss and sophomore middle blocker Mekana Barnes each led with four blocks.
New Mexico was led by Rose Morris and Jeanne Fairchild with nine kills each, while sophomore libero Gayle Tripp led the match with 16 digs and senior right-side hitter Kelly Therkelsen led with five blocks.
The Rams controlled game one, taking as big as a 16-point lead during the game. After the game was tied at 1-1, the Rams scored three straight, including back-to-back aces by Barnes for the 4-1 lead. After a Lobo point, the Rams scored four of the next five to lead 8-3. The teams traded points to 10-6 when the Rams went on a five-point run, including a solo block by Barnes and an ace by Whitney to lead 15-6. New Mexico battled, scoring four of the next five before the Rams scored four straight to lead 20-10. After two consecutive Lobo points, the Rams scored nine of 10 to take the 19-13 lead and then New Mexico went on a five-point run, but it was not enough as Whitney got a kill for CSU for the 30-18 victory. Strauss and Whitney both had four kills, while three Rams had two blocks in the first game and the team hit .364.
New Mexico came out roaring in the second game, taking a 6-0 lead. After the timeout called by Hilbert, Strauss recorded a kill. The teams traded points to 8-2 before Nelson and Whitney had back-to-back kills to close within four, 8-4. After a Morris kill for the Lobos, the Rams rattled off five straight, with two kills by Whitney and she paired with Barnes for a block to knot the score at 9-9. UNM scored five of the next six to again lead by four, 14-10, when Hilbert used his final timeout The Rams then scored five straight to take their first lead at 15-14, but it didn't hold for long as New Mexico scored five of the next six to make the score 19-16. Mokelki and Strauss each recorded a kill and after a Therkelsen kill for UNM, the Rams scored four straight to again take the lead at 22-20. The score was tied at 22, 23 and 25 before the Lobos scored three of four to lead 28-26, but the Rams did not give in. Mokelki had two kills with a Barnes ace sandwiched in to lead 29-28, but after a New Mexico timeout a Ram error was committed to tie the score for the 10th time, this time at 29-29. Mokelki and Strauss each notched a kill though as the Rams battled back to win 31-29. Whitney had seven kills in the game, including five straight, while Mokelki added six and Strauss had five. Batten also had nine digs, while Mokelki tallied six.
The teams traded points to open the third stanza, then the Rams scored two and New Mexico answered with two of its own to tie the score at 3-3. The Rams then scored four straight with two kills by Nelson for the 7-3 advantage. The Lobos scored two, and then the Rams answered with two to lead 9-5, but UNM scored four straight to knot the score at 9-9 and Hilbert requested a timeout. Colorado State scored three of the next four to lead 12-10, but UNM scored the next two for the 12-12 tie. The score was tied at 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 before CSU scored a pair to lead 23-21. The Lobos called a 60-second break, then scored two straight for the 12th tie at 23-23. The teams traded points to 27-27 when the Rams scored two for the 29-27 advantage off a UNM error and kill by Whitney. New Mexico scored off an Ingram kill, then Barnes ended the match with her eighth kill.
Colorado State returns home to host Wyoming in the final Border War on Thursday, then hosts Air Force the following Thursday. Both matches are scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.
