Eagles earn 1st home win of season

The Eagles rallied to defeat Westminster College, Salt Lake City, in three sets Friday at the Chicoine Center, boosting their RMAC standing to 2-4. CSC then faced No. 8 ranked team in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Poll, Wayne State College, Tuesday, losing in three sets, dropping another non-conference game. The team’s overall record is now 3-12.
The Eagles came out strong against Westminster, taking the first two sets 25-19 and 25-22 but struggled during the third.
Jumping to a 5-1 lead in the third set, it looked like the Eagles would finish the game quickly. But the Griffins soon tied the score at 21. Then CSC scored four straight and won 25-21.
Outside hitters Rudy Leasau, senior of LaMesa, California, and Gaby Varela, junior of Dorado, Puerto Rico, posted double-digit kills, accounting for 27 of the team’s 48. Leasau scored 13, Varela added 14.
Alia Brennan, senior middle hitter of Chadron, recorded eight kills; setter Madison Webb, sophomore of Loveland, Colorado, logged 42 assists.
Defensively, the Eagles held the lead over the Griffins, tallying 14 blocks and 38 digs.
Sophomore Kenzie Chrisman, of Sterling, Colorado, contributed five of those blocks, while Webb and Brennan posted three and two, respectively.
Leasau led the team in digs with nine, followed by Emily Bruce, junior of Centerton, Arkansas, with eight and Webb, seven.
Head Coach Riann Mullis said the team needed to focus on consistency in both its offense and defense and that would help reduce the number of errors. During practice, the team focuses most on scoring five points at a time during the beginning of a set and the end because, according to Mullis, those are the most important points of the game. During the third set, this practice method served the Eagles well, earning them the set to take the game.
During the first set against Wayne State, the Eagles fought hard but still lost 28-26. The next two sets were not as close, losing 25-11 in the second and finishing 25-18 in the third.
Mullis said the women held their own well against such a talented and respectful foe.
“They played the best they’ve played all season,” she said.
Mullis also said they are using this experience to grow and focusing on the “good” of the game instead of the bad.
Offensively, Leasau and Varela took the lead with 15 and 10 kills, respectively. Chrisman contributed six, while Stephanie Wilson, senior of Albuquerque, New Mexico, logged five and Brennan, four. Webb contributed all but one assist, totaling 38 out of 39, the last going to Brennan.
On the defense, Bruce dominated in digs, logging 10 of the team’s 40. Leasau and Varela posted just behind her with nine each, while Webb tallied six; Brennan, three; Katie Thoeny, freshman of Lakewood, Colorado, scored two; and Sierra Winkle, sophomore of Tucsan, Arizona, posted one. Total team blocks amounted to four.
Michaela Mestl, senior of Kearney, and Alyssa Frauendorfer, senior of Humphrey, were the leading scorers for the Wildcats, tallying nearly half of the total 45 kills. Mestl was also instrumental in the Wildcats defense. Her 14 digs combined with the 13 from Haley Kauth, freshman of Roseville, Minnesota, posted half of the total 47 digs.
Overall, the Wildcats committed less errors than the Eagles, logging only 14 total to the Eagles’ 24.
While the Eagles have a short recovery time before they play the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, Mullis says the game against the Wildcats prepared them and helped set the energy they’ll be taking to Rapid City.
“During the next two practices we’re focused the most on consistency and take that on the road,” Mullis said.
Mines is 0-6 in the RMAC and 1-15 overall, currently battling a seven-game losing streak. Leaders for the Mines are Emily Newton, junior of Loveland, Colorado, logging 115 kills overall and averaging two per set; Anna Breidt, sophomore of Fort Collins, Colorado; and Caryn Hazard, freshman of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, both totaling 108 kills this season and also averaging two per set.
First serve against the Hardrockers is scheduled for 6 p.m., Friday.