DURANGO, Colo. – The Fort Lewis College volleyball team came out swinging and never stopped. In the process, they hit to the tune of .284 which is a new season-high on their way to sweeping CSU-Pueblo 3-0 (25-17, 25-23, 25-15) Saturday evening in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference inside Whalen Gym.
FLC (3-9, 3-5 RMAC) connected on 39 kills to just 10 errors in 102 chances for their season-high .284 percentage. On defense, they limited CSU-Pueblo (4-14, 2-7 RMAC) to just a .121 percentage with 37 kills to 22 errors in 124 chances.
Haley Christiansen picked up her ninth double-double of the season after leading the team in kills with 10 and adding a second-best 14 digs. Tye Wedhorn and Ohiyah Shirley were right behind with seven kills apiece. Kendra Swackenberg continues to add the kills in with her assists as she tallied six kills and added a team-high 29 assists. Megan Graefe led the team in digs with 19, while Wedhorn and Maddie LeBlanc had three blocks apiece.
FLC held the advantage in all the categories including service aces (5-2), blocks (5-2), assists (36-32) and digs (60-44).
The Skyhawks moved out to an early 8-5 lead in the first set behind kills from Wedhorn and Swackenberg. With the set tied at 12, Wedhorn tallied a kill to help start a 3-0 run that would force a CSU-Pueblo timeout. Wedhorn and LeBlanc combined for a block and then Shirley closed the run with a kill for a 15-12 advantage. The ThunderWolves got back to within four at 20-16, but it was too much Skyhawks as Swackenberg, Christiansen tallied kills, with Christiansen ending the set with a kill at 25-17.
The second set had a different feel to it at the start, as after FLC opened the scoring, CSU-Pueblo scored the next eight points to take an 8-1 lead. Still behind 18-15, FLC kept plugging away and worked their way back in front thanks to a 4-0 run. During the spurt, Shirley started the rally with a kill, Audrey Stansberry added a service ace and then a Bailey Longacre killed closed the run and had FLC with the 19-18 advantage. Still in front 23-22, Wedhorn posted a big kill to move FLC to set point and after a CSU-Pueblo point, a bad set by the ThunderWolves ended the set with the Skyhawks taking it 25-23 and a 2-0 match lead.
FLC came out determined in the third set, as they broke open an early 2-1 deficit with a 6-0 run to take the lead for good. During the scoring run, CSU-Pueblo committed five attacking errors and Christiansen added a kill that at the end of the run left FLC with a 7-2 lead. CSU-Pueblo got back to within six at 14-8, but it was just too much Skyhawks. Swackenberg and Christiansen tallied kills to help start another 3-0 run and move FLC back out to a nine-point lead at 17-8. Shirley and LeBlanc helped close the match strong, as following a kill by Shirley, LeBlanc then posted a solo block and then added a kill at match point for the 25-15 third set win and 3-0 match victory.
FLC started and ended strong hitting .382 in the first set and .296 in the final set. They also held CSU-Pueblo to -.026 hitting in the third set.
Brooke Shilling led CSU-Pueblo with 10 kills, Kelsey Bell had 17 assists, Page Heller added 10 digs and Berkley Hays sent back two blocks.
Following two straight wins at home, FLC will now hit the road for three matches this coming week, beginning on Tuesday in Alamosa against Adams State starting at 7 p.m. They will then face Regis on Friday at 7 p.m. and Colorado Christian on Saturday at 5 p.m.
