LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The Fort Lewis College volleyball team used a dominant night from the service line and an efficient offensive attack to cruise past New Mexico Highlands University in straight sets on Friday night inside the John A. Wilson Complex.
The Skyhawks earned the sweep by scores of 25-21, 25-21, and 25-15 to improve to 8-5 overall and 2-2 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play. The Cowgirls fell to 2-12 overall and 0-4 in league action.
Fort Lewis hit .258 for the match with 43 kills and just nine attacking errors while holding New Mexico Highlands to a .116 clip. The Skyhawks also held advantages in kills (43-28), service aces (11-2), assists (40-28), and digs (57-51).
Senior Alina Nunez paced the offense with 12 kills to go along with six digs, three aces, and two block assists. Freshman Sydney Vogel tied a career high with 11 kills on a .345 hitting percentage while committing just one error on 29 attempts. Freshman Ellie Ames added four kills and a career-high five service aces.
Sophomore Alyx Daugherty continued her strong defensive play with a match-high 22 digs, while sophomore Cambria Freymuth reached double figures with 10. Sophomore Arianna Reyna led the setters with 18 assists and added six digs and two aces, followed by senior Addie Garn with 16 assists and five digs.
Set One (25-21)
The Cowgirls jumped out to a 5-2 advantage before Vogel sparked the Skyhawks with three early kills, helping Fort Lewis take its first lead at 6-5. Back-to-back aces from Ames stretched the advantage to 9-6, and Fort Lewis eventually built a 24-17 lead. Highlands scored four straight before Vogel ended the comeback with her fifth kill of the set. The Skyhawks hit .250 while holding the Cowgirls to .093.
Set Two (25-21)
Highlands again led early, 8-5, before Fort Lewis' serving changed the momentum. Ames delivered three consecutive aces to put the Skyhawks ahead 10-8 and establish a career high with five for the match. The Cowgirls battled back within 22-21 late, but Ames answered with a kill before Reyna helped close out the set from the service line.
Set Three (25-15)
Fort Lewis took control early in the third, using a lengthy run at the service line from Freymuth to turn a 6-2 lead into a 12-3 advantage. Nunez supplied three kills during the surge, and the Skyhawks never allowed Highlands back into the set. Wilson added a pair of late kills before consecutive Cowgirl errors sealed the sweep. Fort Lewis hit .294 with 16 kills and just one error in the frame.
Notables
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Ames' five service aces established a new career high.
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Vogel's 11 kills tied her career high.
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Daugherty recorded 22 digs for her fourth 20-plus dig performance of the season.
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Fort Lewis' 11 service aces were a season high.
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The Skyhawks committed just nine attacking errors on 132 attempts.
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Fort Lewis held Highlands below a .100 hitting percentage in two sets.
Up Next
Fort Lewis continues its road trip on Saturday with a 3:00 p.m. match against Adams State University in Alamosa, Colorado.
