GUNNISON, Colo – Despite a slow start, the Western State Colorado University women's volleyball team made history, winning its 11
th game of the season in a four set (23-25, 25-9, 25-23, 25-18) win over Fort Lewis College Friday evening. Western State also set a season-high in service aces with 13 in the match, tying the school record set in 1995. The team becomes the fastest team to 11 wins since the 15 win 2006 team. They also had the second largest set victory in the second set, just one off the record they tied earlier this season.
The Mountaineers posted season-high team kills and hitting percentage, matching their mark of 61 kills in a five set match last week. Western State (11-14, 8-6 RMAC) hit .299 and held Fort Lewis (5-17, 2-12 RMAC) to just a .131 hitting percentage.
Western State was led by a trio of student-athletes, led by
Jordan Eatwell's 17 kills.
Tori Gaherty tied a top-five career mark with 15 kills, while
Molly Hothan put down 14 with a match-high .522 hitting percentage. Gaherty also had a career-high five service aces in the match.
Setter
Allison Walker had the second-best game in her career with 52 assists in four sets. Earlier this season she had a 51 set match in four sets, with her career record at 54 in a five set match last season. Walker also had three aces.
The Mountaineer put up a fence for the Skyhawks, with four student-athletes putting down three blocks.
Avery Burkholder, Hothan, Eatwell and
Taylor Castillo all had three total blocks in the match. In the backrow, libero
Amanda Maestas had a match-high 19 digs, keeping her on pace for the school record in season digs as well as the lead in the conference in total digs. Eatwell was the only other Mountaineer with 14 digs.
Western State holds sole possession of seventh place in the conference once again with a CSU-Pueblo three set victory over Adams State this evening. The Mountaineers can push away all five teams chasing for the final two conference spots with a victory over Adams State tomorrow evening. With the win the Mountaineers would have at least a two-game advantage on the five other teams chasing for the playoffs.
