Grizzlies sweep FLC for fifth straight win
ALAMOSA, Colo.— Led by a double-double effort from sophomore outside hitter Sheena Brundage, the Adams State College Grizzly volleyball team made quick work of Fort Lewis College on Saturday night in Plachy Hall, claiming their fifth straight win with a 78-minute, 3-game sweep of the Skyhawks. The 30-21, 30-25, 30-12 win was the fourth straight at home for ASC, dating back to 2003, and allowed the Grizzlies to improve to 7-2 overall and 2-0 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play. FLC fell to 3-7 overall and 0-2 in league action.
Brundage, a 6-foot Las Animas native had a match-high 16 kills and 11 digs on the heels of a career-high tying 17-kill night in ASC’s Tuesday sweep of New Mexico Highlands University, a team that had swept FLC on Friday night in Las Vegas, N.M. Hitting a solid .387 on the night, Brundage had five kills in each of the first two games before pounding out six in the third game rout.
Junior libero Carly Simpson recorded a match-high 16 digs while senior setter Monica Garcia was a dig shy of a double-double with 37 assists. Freshman right side hitter Brittany Muchmore also had nine kills for the Grizzlies, who have won five straight over the Skyhawks since 2002.
FLC’s Lisa Levings had eight kills, nine digs and four blocks to lead the squad. Juanita McGuire also turned a solid effort with six kills and a match-high six blocks. Three of those came in a 4-0 Skyhawk run that tied the second game at 19 during the only time that ASC looked vulnerable.
Down 15-9, the Skyhawks came roaring back as ASC committed three straight hitting errors closing FLC’s deficit to just two points. Temple Levings, the younger sister of Lisa, then had a kill before Muchmore and FLC’s Nicole Schwab traded shots as FLC pulled to within 16-15. Brundage then answered moments before a McGuire kill started the Skyhawks’ best spurt.
Eventually taking a 21-20 lead, the Skyhawks watched Kallee Bingham serve ASC back into the lead with a 5-0 Grizzly run. Not able to recover, ASC wrapped up the set with Muchmore’s eighth kill.
After the intermission, the Grizzlies wasted little time in turning the knife as they jumped out to an 8-3 lead with three Brundage kills and two Simpson service aces. Stretching that lead to 21-9 with a 6-0 run behind some strong Jocelyn Garcia serving, the Grizzlies’ Jacque Loch came in moments later recording her first two career kills and first career block in a 8-2 finishing run. A redshirt freshman from La Jara, Loch had played in an exhibition match against College of the Eastern Utah last weekend, but had not seen official action.
The first game was close in the early going before a 7-1 run behind Simpson serves gave ASC a cushion at 17-10. ASC then simply traded points with the Lisa Levings led Skyhawks to close out the opening set.
The Grizzlies, who clinched their first ever RMAC West Division title with a Nov. 4, 2003 sweep of FLC, have now won 12 straight sets in Plachy Hall and have dropped just one in their last 16 overall during this campaign. Entering the night in a first place RMAC West tie with Mesa State and Western State, the Grizzlies will remain at home to face both next Friday and Saturday, respectively. Mesa State entered Saturday night’s home match with CU-Colorado Springs with a 5-4 mark while Western State, 4-6 overall, was hosting Colorado State-Pueblo on Saturday.
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