Volleyball Wins Second-Straight Road Match

SILVER CITY, N.M. ­— A balanced attack by the St. Mary's University Volleyball team led to a four-set victory at Western New Mexico on Friday night, 25-19, 22-25, 25-17, 25-20.
 
Five Rattlers (10-9, 5-3 Lone Star Conference) recorded seven or more kills on the night, led by sophomore Dallasstar Johnson (San Antonio) with 11. She also hit a match-high .500 (11-1-20). Junior Alicia Virthe (Orlando, Fla.) added 10 kills, hitting double figures for the sixth time in seven matches. Sophomore Landri Withers (Stephenville, Texas) added nine kills, while freshman Kelly Swyers (Austin, Texas) tallied eight and sophomore Laurene Robinson (Bedford, Texas) chipped in seven.
 
Jazmyne Walker from the Mustangs (4-17, 0-9 Lone Star) posted a match-high 29 kills, however she took more swings than the top two Rattlers combined (58 to 51).
 
Sophomore libero Alyssa Koehl (New Braunfels, Texas) led the team with 10 digs, while Johnson led all players with four blocks. Both senior Aislan Lennon (Houston) and Koehl recorded a pair of service aces as the Rattlers notched seven on the night.
 
Five Rattlers each had three kills in the first set as they hit .333 (15-4-33) in the 25-19 win. The team also had three aces and both Lennon and sophomore Isabella Waggoner (Texas City, Texas) had long service runs.
 
Neither team could create much separation in the second set as the score was tied eight times as both teams were more error prone. Both teams committed five unforced hitting errors, hitting under .200. Virthe led the Rattlers with four kills in the 22-25 loss.
 
Whatever the coaches drew up after the second set worked as the Rattlers jumped out to a 6-1 lead and never looked back, winning 25-17. The opposite side hitters, Virthe and Swyers combined for eight kills as the team hit .355 (14-3-31).
 
After the Mustangs took their only lead of the fourth set at 14-13, the Rattlers scored four straight with an ace serve by Withers and a combination block by Landry Cate (Hot Springs, Ark.) and Robinson for the 17-14 advantage. The team never trailed again, winning 25-20.
 
The Rattlers remain on the road, playing at UT Permian Basin on Friday, Oct. 20 and Angelo State on Saturday. StMU is searching to avenge earlier losses this season to both squads.