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Fort Lewis College Athletics

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Alexis Hobie

Skyhawks begin RMAC play against Griffins and #17 Mavericks

9/19/2024 10:00:00 AM

By: Angela Roberts, Associate AD-Communications
DURANGO, Colo. – After eight games against teams from five conferences, the Fort Lewis College volleyball team will see familiarity with a pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference road games to kick off league play.

Looking Back
The Skyhawks were 1-3 at the Mountaineer Volleyball Classic over the weekend to bring their overall record to 2-6. Fort Lewis earned its win over Academy of Art in sweeping fashion while hitting .217. Senior Alexis Hobie led the team with 12 kills, followed by sophomore Alina Nunez who recorded nine. Freshman Emery Pomroy added a match-high 16 digs. Senior Natalia Lambos and Pomroy were named to the All-Tournament team following the final match.

Around the RMAC
The conference has two teams ranked in the AVCA/TERAFLEX DII Poll and one program receiving votes. MSU Denver rose one spot to No. 2 while Colorado Mesa dropped two spots to No. 17. After a slow start to the season, Regis has dropped out of the poll and is receiving votes.

MSU Denver and Colorado Mesa take up the top two spots in the conference ranks, followed by Colorado Christian and CSU Pueblo. Fort Lewis sits in a three-way tie for 11th with Chadron State and Regis. The Skyhawks rank 12th in hitting percentage (.143), 6th in assists (11.54), 8th in kills (12.36), 11th in blocks (1.46), 10th in digs (14.75), and 13th in opponent hitting percentage (.222).

Junior Ella Butler ranks 7th in hitting percentage (.341). Despite running a two-setter offense through several matches last weekend, Lambos continues to rank highly in the league in assists per set, sitting 7th at 8.36. Pomroy leads the Skyhawks in digs per set and ranks 10th in the conference at 3.90. Hobie rounds out statistically ranked players with 3.10 kills per set to sit 14th in the RMAC.

Scouting Westminster University
The Griffins are 4-3 on the year following five-set wins over Saint Martin's University and Northwest Nazarene University last week. Westminster was 12-15 last season with an even 7-7 mark in RMAC play.
As a team, the Griffins are hitting .167 with 12.3 kills per set. Their opponents are hitting at a slightly better clip (.178) but average fewer kills per set (10.6). Breegan Huntsman leads the team with 2.75 kills per set and has compiled three double-doubles. Three setters have seen the floor, but the duo of Leila Cornejo and Josie Gerritsen look to have secured starting duties with a combined 8.65 assists per set. Defense is locked down by Alanna Lee who ranks seventh in the conference with 4.25 digs per set and receives at a .971 efficiency.

Fort Lewis leads the all-time series 8-6 and has won the last three meetings. Despite leading the series, the Skyhawks are just 1-5 versus the Griffins on the road. Last season's meeting was a 3-1 win in Whalen Gym, and two of the sets went to extra points. JJ Curry came away with a double-double of 11 kills and 14 digs and three additional players reached double-digit digs.

Scouting No. 17 Colorado Mesa
The Mavericks are 6-2 this season with identical 3-1 records at home and on the road. In its home tournament over the weekend, Colorado Mesa came away with three wins and dropped one match to (RV) Angelo State University. Colorado Mesa was 24-5 last season, 13-1 at home, and advanced to the opening round of the NCAA Regional.

The Mavericks are hitting .267 as a team and hold the opposition to a .188 efficiency. They outpace their opponents in nearly every relevant statistical category with the exception of blocks where the Mavericks trail 2.6-1.7. Sydney Leffler, the 2023 RMAC Player of the Year and First Team All-American is averaging 4.41 kills per set with a .270 efficiency on the pin. Three players are averaging at least three kills per set with Nicole Martin's three kills per set on a .365 efficiency leading the way. Sabrina VanDeList, the 2023 RMAC Setter of the Year, returns as one of the nation's premier quarterbacks and is averaging 12.15 assists per set. The 2023 RMAC Defensive Player of the Year also returns to the court in Allison Waller, and the junior is averaging four digs per set.

Fort Lewis trails the all-time series 10-26 and has lost the last seven meetings. The Skyhawks played close with the nationally-ranked Mavericks last season but ultimately fell at home. Butler led the team with seven kills and four blocks in the loss.

Up Next
Fort Lewis makes its long-awaited return to Whalen Gymnasium next week with a Friday/Saturday split. White out weekend begins with a 6:00 p.m. match on Friday against Colorado Christian and continues on Saturday against Chadron State at 7:00 p.m. The first 50 fans through the door on Friday will receive a free white t-shirt courtesy of Durango Motor Company.
 
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