Cowgirl Volleyball Wins Fourth In A Row

University of Wyoming release.

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The Wyoming Cowgirl Volleyball Team (18-13 overall, 8-9 MW) won their fourth straight conference match with a four-set victory (18-25, 25-16, 26-24, 28-26) over the Fresno State Bulldogs (17-12 overall, 11-6 MW) on Thursday night. It's the first time in MW play that a Cowgirl team has won four consecutive league matches.

Senior Reese Plante finished her night with a team high 13 kills while adding six digs and four total blocks. Bridget Shanahan recorded 12 kills and a career high ten blocks while Kayla Slofkiss had 11 kills. Erin Kirby also recorded ten total blocks while hitting .273 (7-1-22) on the night. Wyoming hit .159 (48-23-157) and out blocked the Bulldogs, 18-12.

Fresno State was led by Korrin Wild who finished with a match high 22 kills and 12 digs. Holly Franks recorded 13 kills and 11 digs while Maci Murdock added 11 kills and eight blocks. The Bulldogs hit .209 (60-27-158) for the match.

Fresno State earned the first point of the match, but the Cowgirls scored three of the next four points to take a 3-2 advantage. The teams exchanged the next two points until the Bulldogs responded with eight straight points to go ahead by seven, 11-4. A kill by Kirby stopped the Wyoming scoring drought and started a small run to pull them to within five, 12-7. The Bulldogs ran off seven of the next eight to extend the lead back to nine, 19-8. The Cowgirls would out score Fresno State 10-6 the remainder of the set, but would still come up short 25-18.

After FSU scored the first two points of the second set, the Cowgirls answered with four straight points to go ahead 4-2. A kill by Wild stopped the Bulldog scoring drought and Wyoming responded with a 5-2 run to make it 9-4. Fresno State chipped away at the lead and pulled to within two, 11-9. The Cowgirls scored seven of the next nine points to extend the lead back to seven, 18-11. They would hold FSU to just five points the remainder of the set as they evened up the match at one set apiece taking it 25-16.

In the third set, the Bulldogs quickly jumped out to an 8-4 advantage. The Cowgirls responded with a 7-2 run to take the lead 11-10. After a Fresno State timeout, they would score seven of nine points to go back ahead by four, 17-13. FSU maintained a four to five point advantage over the next several points until five unanswered by Wyoming pulled them even at 21 all. A service error by Plante gave the Bulldogs the one-point lead, 22-21, but two straight from the Cowgirls made it 23-22. Two kills by Franks gave Fresno State set point 24-23. Wyoming kept their composure and scored the final three points to win the set, 26-24.

It was all Cowgirls to begin the fourth set as they took the early 5-1 lead. The Bulldogs scored six of the next eight points to tie it up at seven all. The two teams traded points until Fresno State took an 11-9 lead. UW evened it up at 11 all, which was answered with a 6-1 run by FSU to give them a 17-12 advantage. They increased that margin to seven, 21-14. The Cowgirls stormed back and evened up the set at 22 all. An attack error by Plante put the Bulldogs back up 23-22 and they would eventually earn set point, 24-23. Shanahan would record two straight kills to give UW match point 26-25. Wild would tie it up on the next side out, but the Cowgirls scored the final two points to take the set, 28-26, and the match 3-1.

The Cowgirls will close out the week on Saturday, Nov. 23, against the San Jose State Spartans. The match is set to begin at 8:30 p.m. Mountain Time in San Jose.