Box Score
GUNNISON, Colo. – For the second time in four days, the Fort Lewis College volleyball team overcame a big fifth-set deficit to beat a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opponent, this time Western State College.
Fort Lewis won 25-13, 20-25, 25-23, 22-25, 15-12 to improve to 8-5 overall, 2-3 in the RMAC. Western State fell to 5-6 overall, 0-4 in the RMAC.
“Ultimately we won in the end,” said seventh-year Skyhawk head coach Shelly Aaland, whose team has gone to a fifth set in four of its five RMAC matches. “That's the important part.”
Fort Lewis trailed 7-2 and 12-7 in the fifth set before reeling off the final eight points of the game. A big point came when Aaland noticed that the Mountaineers were out of rotation with the score 12-8. She notified the down referee, who called a rotation error on the Mountaineers that changed the score from 13-8 to 12-9.
“Then we scored the next six points – and earned them, which we've been focusing on,” Aaland emphasized.
Just as they did in a dramatic five-set win over Colorado Christian on Tuesday night in Whalen Gymnasium, Aaland's troops were nearly down for the count against the Mountaineers – only this time, they had to come from behind on the road in a rowdy Paul Wright Gym, where the Mountaineers were celebrating Homecoming.
“We're continually working to be mentally strong enough to get the job done earlier in the match” said Aaland, who was disappointed in a lackluster 20-25 loss in the second set after dominating Western State 25-13 in the first. “It comes with experience and with everyone gaining more confidence.”
Veteran leadership from two outside hitters helped FLC. Senior Chelsea Flaming finished with a game-high 19 kills and 14 digs, while junior Jessica Wilson had 18 kills and a game-high 26 digs.
“The outsides were working, so there was no reason not to continue setting balls to them,” said Aaland. “But everyone definitely contributed. We also served well, with just five errors.”
The Skyhawks received strong play from Taylor Hillberry, a senior middle blocker who has dominated for parts of the 2010 campaign. Hillberry had nine blocks (six of the solo variety) and 15 kills.
Courtnee Pedone led the Mountaineers with 18 kills, while Lindsay Huson and Kallee Cool each had 11 kills.
The Skyhawks conclude their two-game road trip at CSU-Pueblo (4-6, 1-3) at 7 p.m. Saturday.
