Eagles win 5 of 9 sets in 2 games

The Eagles took three of four sets in a close battle against New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, Friday. CSC couldn’t complete the weekend in Colorado, losing to CSU-Pueblo, 3-2. The Eagles fell to 5-7 RMAC and 6-15 overall.
The Eagles won the first set with 25-22 but struggled during the second. Head Coach Riann Mullis said that, in addition to Highlands being a “scrappy” team, the Eagles committed several errors in the second set, closing 28-26.
CSC rallied to defeat the Cowgirls during the last two sets, 25-22 and 25-23.
During the first set, neither team earned more than a two-point lead. Outside hitter Gaby Varela, junior of Dorado, Puerto Rico, broke the 18-18 tie with a kill which started a four-point run.
In set No. 2, the Eagles and the Cowgirls were tied 25-25 and again 26-26, but the Cowgirls took the set 28-26 after Varela posted two attack errors.
Setter Madison Webb, sophomore of Loveland, Colorado, led the team with 50 assists—a new personal record.
While Alia Brennan, senior of Chadron, was not the leader in kills, she broke her personal single-game record with 15. Rudy Leasau, senior of LaMesa, California, posted 18 kills and Varela, 11.
Emily Bruce, junior of Centerton, Arkansas, and Katie Thoeny, freshman of Lakewood, Colorado, logged the most digs with 30 and 16, respectively. Both players broke personal records.
The first set was tied 24-24 when Varela logged two kills to claim the set for the Eagles 26-24.
After tying at 22 in the second set, CSC pulled ahead and Leasau delivered the final kill to end the set 25-23.
The Eagles committed error after error in the third set, losing 25-16.
In a back-and-forth set No. 4, the ThunderWolves forced a fifth set, 25-22.
In the fifth set, the Eagles struggled to find any sort of momentum and the ThunderWolves won the set 15-9.
Brennan broke her personal record again, posting 19 kills. Varela and Leasau followed with 18 and 15, respectively. Webb broke her record again with 56 assists.
Defensively, Bruce led in digs, recording 21. Varela added 15 and Ashton Burditt, freshman of Spearfish, South Dakota, 10.
Mullis said it’s always tough to lose in five sets, but they need to use it as motivation to work hard.
“I’m not disappointed in the girls, they fought hard and that (CSU-Pueblo) was a good team,” said Mullis.
She added that her goal is to play every game as well as they played against Wayne State College, the team’s best game of the season.
The long weekend trip will have no effect on practice this week. Mullis said that Sunday is recovery day and Monday the team will “hit the pavement hard.”
The Eagles will travel to Golden, Colorado, to play Colorado School of Mines at 7 p.m., Friday. The Orediggers are 16-5 overall and 10-2 in the RMAC.
At 5 p.m. Saturday, CSC will take on Colorado Christian University in Lakewood, Colorado. The Cougars are 14-9 overall and 6-6 in the RMAC.