Zias extend win streak to four in volleyball

Freedom New Mexico

LAS VEGAS, N.M. — Break up the suddenly-hot Eastern New Mexico University volleyball team.

The Zias stretched their winning streak to four matches — the longest since late in the 2004 season — with wins on Friday over Denver-based Johnson & Wales 25-14, 25-12, 25-9 and Southwestern Oklahoma 17-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-23 in New Mexico Highlands’ Cowgirl Invitational.

The win over Southwestern was the first for the Zias since a 3-2 win over East Central — also an out-of-conference match, played in the ENMU Invitational on Sept. 13, 2008.

ENMU (4-3) closes out play in the event today, facing Fort Hays State at 9 a.m. and Highlands at 1 p.m.

Junior middle blocker Jessica King had eight kills and three block assists in the Zias win over Johnson & Wales (0-2). Kristen Beck added seven kills, five block assists and four aces, while junior Stacey Main had six kills and two block assists.

Trailing by a game and tied 21-21 in the second set against Southwestern (2-5), sophomore libero Dallas Russell’s ace helped get the match even.

The Lady Bulldogs opened a 7-4 lead in the third second, but sophomore outside hitter Amber Durand’s kill ignited a 7-3 run. The Zias took the lead for good 12-11 on a Southwestern serving error, setting off a 9-4 run that put them in control.

ENMU led 11-4 early in the fourth set, saw Southwestern rally to lead 23-22, but tied it on a kill by Main and won it with the help of a Lady Bulldogs ballhandling error on the next point.

Sophomore outside hitter Megan Carpenter had 11 kills, while Durand finished with eight kills and 10 digs. Senior setter Veronica Valdez-Kent collected 25 assists in the match.

Zias fall in soccer on OT goal — New Mexico Highland’s Suzannah Hertz scored with less than two minutes left in the first overtime to lift the Cowgirls past ENMU 3-2 in women’s soccer at Las Vegas, N.M.

The Zias took a pair of one-goal leads on tallies by junior midfielder Danielle Thurman and sophomore forward Brook Serrano, but Highlands (2-1) tied it with less than seven minutes left in the half on a goal by Tierra Sabin.

Sophomore Sierra Cardenas played the entire match in next for the Zias, collecting nine saves.

ENMU is scheduled to take on 14th-ranked Fort Lewis in its home opener, set for noon on Sunday.