Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
After posting a pair of wins on Thursday’s opening day in the Lone Star Conference Preview tournament at Greyhound Arena, Eastern New Mexico University’s volleyball team dropped a 25-22, 22-25, 25-19, 25-21 decision to St. Edward’s on Friday night.
ENMU (6-5) was slated to complete play in the three-day, five-team round robin on Saturday night against Midwestern State. The Greyhounds then have a quick turnaround with a Monday contest against University of the Southwest at Hobbs before opening LSC action at Oklahoma Christian on Friday and at Arkansas-Fort Smith on Saturday.
Freshman outside hitter Kelli Fording notched 16 kills and five aces for the Hilltoppers (4-7). Freshman Jaiden LaVanway posted 23 assists and sophomore setter Jordan Chapman had 20, while senior libero/defensive specialist Sarah Konovodoff added 17 digs and six aces.
Senior outside hitter Mikaela Garvin compiled 13 kills and six block assists for ENMU while senior middle blocker Gracelyn Stubbs posted a double-double with 10 kills and 13 assists to go along with four block assists and eight digs. Sophomore setter Kayla Ison added a team-high 20 assists, senior libero Getsemani Garcia posted 20 digs, senior outside hitters Halle Sanders and Darcy Dodd notched 11 digs apiece and senior middle blocker Deziree Flowers contributed five kills and five block assists.
St. Ed’s erased a two-point deficit with an 11-1 run in the opening set, then fended off a late charge by the Hounds. ENMU then led most of the way in Game 2 to square the contest, but the Hilltoppers closed out the third set with a 6-1 run and then led by 10 late in Game 4 before nailing it down.
In Thursday tilts:
ENMU 3, Cameron 0 – The Hounds fended off the Aggies twice late in the second and third sets to win their opening matchup in the round-robin.
ENMU used 5-0 and 9-0 runs to help lock up the first set, then faced set point multiple times in Game 2 before closing it out with four kills to erase a one-point deficit and take a 2-0 lead.
In Game 3, Cameron (2-7) made it close late with an 8-0 run before the Hounds held on for their 10th consecutive win over the Aggies, dating to a five-set loss in September 2015 at Lawton, Okla.
Garvin led the Greyhounds with 16 kills and seven block assists while Stubbs posted 10 kills, 16 assists and six blocks (one solo). Meantime, Ison collected 19 assists while Getsemani (23), Dodd (14) and Sanders (12) paced the team in digs.
Sophomore Paris Patterson led the Aggies with 13 kills and six block assists, and freshman Cacey Below posted a double-double with 12 assists and 11 digs.
ENMU 3, Western New Mexico 1 – ENMU took a close one from the Mustangs, winning 25-22, 22-25, 27-25, 25-22.
Early in the third set, the Hounds moved in front with a 7-1 run, but WNMU (3-8) rallied back and had set point before the Hounds earned the final three tallies.
Garvin had a career-high-tying 22 kills while Stubbs (13 kills, a personal-best 27 assists) and Ison (21 assists, 10 digs) posted double-doubles. Meantime, Carrasco had a match-high 24 digs and Dodd added a season-best 16.
For the Mustangs, senior outside hitter Jazmyne Walker posted 20 kills, junior defensive specialist Lilouann Bechec added 21 digs and junior setter Leticia Correa finished with 48 assists.
