Box Score

KEARNEY, Neb. – No. 12 Metro State topped Western New Mexico 25-15, 25-20, 21-25, 25-20 on Thursday at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinals in Kearney, Neb. The Roadrunners improved to 23-5 this season, while WNMU's season ended with a 13-12 mark.

Bri Morley (Parker, Colo./Cherokee Trail H.S.) had a match-high 16 kills to lead the offense, but it was Metro State's defense that proved to be the difference. Ngoc Phan (Lone Tree, Colo./Cherry Creek H.S.) had 30 digs and limited the Mustangs to a .123 hitting percentage. Alex Green (Peoria, Ariz./Cactus H.S.) added 13 digs as Metro State has 87 in the match as a team, their third-highest total this season and the most for a match that did not last five sets.

Morley was the only Roadrunner in double digits in kills. Julie Causseaux (Dumas, Texas/Dumas H.S.) had nine kills and Anna Mapes (Chaska, Minn./Chaska H.S.) had eight. Metro State hit just .194 as a team, snapping a streak of seven straight matches hitting over .250.

Metro State's service game was strong, however. The Roadrunners had eight aces and just six errors. It was just the third time this season Metro State has had more aces than service errors and the Roadrunners are 3-0 in those matches. Causseaux had a team-high three aces and Lisa Jones (Pueblo, Colo./Pueblo East H.S.) had two to go with her seven kills.

The Roadrunners dominated the first set winning 25-15, while outhitting the Mustangs .243 to .114. Jones served five straight points to build a 22-13 lead, the biggest run of the set.

Leading 15-14 in the second, the Roadrunners scored three straight and five of six points to take control of the set with a 20-15 lead.

WNMU led 17-8 in the third set and Metro State hit just .106 in the third. Metro State climbed back in with seven straight points with Sarah McGaffin (Phoenix, Ariz./Horizon H.S.) serving to cut the lead to four. That was as close as the score would get in the third. Despite the loss, the Roadrunners continued their strong defense, limiting the Mustangs to a .093 hitting clip.

The Mustangs took a 5-2 lead in the fourth, but Jones served six in a row to take an 8-5 lead and the Roadrunners held the lead the rest of the match.

Metro State will face the winner o Mesa State and UC-Colorado Springs at 4:30 p.m. on Friday in the semifinals.