Cowgirl Volleyball Wins First Conference Game

Behind 15 kills from senior Reese Plante, the Wyoming Cowgirl Volleyball Team (11-7 overall, 1-3 MW) earned their first conference win of the season. They defeated the Nevada Wolf Pack (2-14 overall, 0-4 MW) in a three-set sweep (25-22, 25-15, 25-23) on Saturday afternoon in Reno.

Plante led the way for the Cowgirls with a match high 15 kills and three blocks while hitting .682 (15-0-22). She was followed by Kayla Slofkiss with nine kills while Kayla Henderson recorded seven kills. Libero Becky Stewart recorded 16 digs. Wyoming hit .215 (39-16-107) for the match and had six total team blocks.

The Wolf Pack were led by Tessa Lea'ea with 11 kills and a .360 (11-2-25) hitting percentage. Grace Axno added eight kills and 11 digs. Nevada hit .118 (33-21-102) for the match.

Nevada jumped out early in the first set taking a 4-1 lead, but a kill by Plante started a 6-3 run by the Cowgirls to even it up at seven all. Two straight points by the Wolf Pack put them back up 9-7, which was answered with five of the next nine points by Wyoming giving them their first lead of the set, 12-11. Nevada scored the next point to tie the score at 12. Three kills by UW helped them regain a small 15-13, but the Wolf Pack answered with a 7-2 run to give them a three-point advantage, 20-17. Out of a Cowgirl timeout, Wyoming chipped away at the lead and eventually evened things up at 20 all. An attack error on the next side out gave them the lead and they scored the final four of six points to take set one, 25-22.

The Wolf Pack scored the first two points of the second set which was answered by the Cowgirls and the two squad traded points back and forth. With it all tied up at seven, Wyoming scored six unanswered started by a Bridget Shanahan kill to give them a 13-7 advantage. Nevada would battle back and scored four straight points to pull within two, 13-11. A kill by Plante stopped the scoring drought by UW and they extended the lead back to seven, 18-11, with another five points. The Cowgirls played solid defense down the stretch as they held the Wolf Pack to just four points as they won the set, 25-15, to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

The momentum stayed on the side of the Cowgirls as they scored four of the first five points to go up 4-1. Nevada responded with a 4-1 run to make it five all. The two teams traded scores until a 6-2 run put Wyoming up 12-8. They would maintain a four point lead until the Wolf Pack scored six straight points to tie it up at 17 all. A kill by Shanahan followed by an attack error by Nevada would start would start a 6-2 run to give the Cowgirls a 23-19 advantage. The Wolf Pack made one last push and pulled to within two, but Wyoming held on to take the set, 25-23, and the match 3-0.

Wyoming will return home for two conference matches next week. They will host the Boise State Broncos, on Thursday, Oct. 10, and the Utah State Aggies, on Saturday, Oct. 12. Thursday's match is set for 7:00 p.m. while the Saturday match will follow the football game at 6:30 p.m.