Cowgirls volleyball is at an 11-4 overall this season after their game against the New Mexico Lobos.
The Wyoming Cowgirl Volleyball Team, 11-4 overall in the Mountain West, opened up the 2012 MW Conference season with a four set loss (25-23, 17-25, 18-25, 19-25) against the New Mexico Lobos (13-2 overall, 2-0 in the MW), according to Wyoming Athletics.
The tournament was held Saturday night in Albuquerque.
“We had too many unforced errors in the match,” head coach Carrie Yerty said. “It’s a disappointing loss for us. New Mexico had solid ball control and less errors. We will get back in the gym and prepare for San Diego State and Nevada.”
Senior Jodi Purdy led the team with 16 kills while also adding 10 digs and four blocks, according to Wyoming athletics. Camille Coffman followed with nine kills, and Erin Kirby tallied seven kills and a team high seven blocks. Libero Becky Stewart recorded 21 digs. As a team, the Cowgirls hit .187 (48-20-150) for the match and out-blocked the Lobos 14.5 to 7.0.
According to the Athletics department, New Mexico scored three of the first four points to take the early 4-1 lead in the first set. The Cowgirls closed the gap to one, 4-3, but five unanswered points by the Lobos gave New Mexico a 9-3 advantage. Wyoming chipped away by going on a 7-2 run to pull to within one, 11-10.
A kill from Ashley Newman and a service ace by Jordan Russell put UNM up three, 13-10. Wyoming fought back and scored three of four points to even it up at 14 all. The two teams traded scores over the next several points as it remained even 17-17. A small run gave the Lobos a 21-19 advantage, to which again the Cowgirls responded with two straight points behind a service error by the Lobos and a block assist from Erin Kirby and Purdy, according to UW athletics.
Out of a New Mexico timeout, UW scored the next point off a Skye Gullatt. The Cowgirls stormed back bolstered by two Purdy kills to regain a 23-22 lead, which was followed by a Reese Plante kill to give them set point, 24-22. New Mexico held off one, but the Cowgirls closed it out to take set one, 25-23.
Wyoming carried the momentum over to the second set as it opened up a 5-2 advantage. The Lobos answered with an 8-1 run to give them a four point lead, 10-6. A Bridget Shanahan block stopped the run, but New Mexico scored five of seven to make the score, 15-9. The Cowgirls could not stage a comeback, and the Lobos won the set 25-17 to even it up at one set apiece.
The Cowgirls scored the first point of the set and then New Mexico scored the next six of seven to lead by four, 6-2. A kill from Purdy ended the run and UW would close the gap to three, 9-6. The Lobos answered with a 6-3 run to give them a set point lead, 15-9. After a UW timeout, a kill by Purdy stopped the run, which was answered with three points for New Mexico and put the Lobos up by eight.
The Cowgirls battled back, running off 8 of 11 points to pull to within three, 21-18. Behind two kills from Chantale Riddle, the Lobos scored the final four points to win the set, 25-18, to take a 2-1 lead in the match, according to the athletics department.
It was even at five all through the first 10 points of the fourth set until four straight by New Mexico put the Lobos ahead 9-5. A UNM service error ended the run, but New Mexico scored four of the next six to put the lead back to five, 13-9.
Wyoming tried to chip away at the lead with blocking and offense closing the gap to one, 15-14. After two points from UNM made the score 17-14, the Cowgirls scored three straight to even it up at 17 all. The Lobos scored the last eight of 10 points in the set to win it 25-19 and the match 3-1.
The Cowgirls will return home after a three-week road swing to host their first conference matches. They will face San Diego State on Thursday, Sept. 27, then league newcomer Nevada on Saturday, Sept. 29. Both matches are set for 7:00 p.m.
