Western New Mexico University’s volleyball team achieved two straight-set victories at the Mountain Lion Classic in Colorado Springs, defeating Western Colorado University and Millersville. The Mustangs improved their season record to 4-4 with these wins.
Against Western Colorado, Western New Mexico won by scores of 25-17, 25-13, and 25-21. Mikelle McAfee contributed a service ace early in the first set, while Brynlee Barris made key blocks. Savanna Haefs organized the offense and assisted Kaitlyn Salgado for a crucial kill as the team built an 18-11 lead. In the second set, Haefs served two aces during an eight-point run that put Western New Mexico ahead 13-5. Jade Rampton added a kill before Jayden Hughes closed out the set with another point.
The third set remained close until Barris secured consecutive service aces to end the match. Barris finished with six kills and five total blocks; Hannah Haggard recorded 14 assists and one service ace; Haefs converted her only attack into a kill and added 13 assists. Meeks also contributed six kills and three block assists.
For Western Colorado, Liv Marshall led her team with 10 kills, two blocks, and 12 points over three sets. Anuhea Kaalele had a team-high ten assists with a .333 hitting percentage; Kaira Willits matched those assists and collected five digs.
In their second match of the day against Millersville, Western New Mexico again started strong. Barris and Daphne Posthumus scored key points early on as the Mustangs won the opening set 25-18 after a final kill from Salgado assisted by Haefs. Although Millersville led briefly in the second set, Hughes and Meeks helped Western New Mexico recover before Salgado ended it at 25-19.
The third set saw Western New Mexico pull away for a 25-14 win behind McAfee’s service ace and steady play from Haggard. Hughes led all players with 13 kills on 20 attempts (.600 hitting percentage). Haggard tallied 23 assists along with six digs; Posthumus contributed eight kills and three block assists; Meeks recorded ten kills on sixteen attempts (.500 hitting percentage).
Millersville’s Trinity Baldwin posted a perfect hitting percentage (1.000) alongside twenty-five assists; Taylor Welter registered eleven kills; Sam White hit .308 with seven kills and one block assist.
Jayden Hughes was named Offensive Player of the Week after hitting .354 (31 kills on 65 attempts) with five blocks and fifteen digs during tournament play. Daphne Posthumus received Defensive Player of the Week honors for her seventeen blocks (five solo) while hitting .284 (twenty-five kills on sixty-seven attempts).
Western New Mexico will return home to host Sul Ross State at Drag’s Court in Silver City on Thursday, September 18 at 6 p.m.
"Western New Mexico University is a member of the NCAA Division II, and the Lone Star Conference (LSC). For additional information regarding Mustang Athletics, visit www.wnmumustangs.com; visit wnmu.edu for more information about Western New Mexico University. Follow the Mustangs on social media: @WNMUathletics (X, TikTok & Instagram)."
