LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Southeastern split the first two matches of the Meadow City Classic, capping off the day with a 3-1 win over Eastern New Mexico after falling in the first match of the day to Western New Mexico.
 
"This was a great opportunity for us to come back and show the fight and grit we have after an unusual loss for us. I'm very proud. This was a complete win by all of us," head coach Nicole Solum-Mitchell said.
 
Gabby Jones paced the attack over the two matches with 19 kills, including 18 in the win over Eastern New Mexico, and added 15 digs to her totals, picking up a double-double against ENMU with a team-high 13. Layla Wilson recorded 18 kills on a .286 attack average, while Rylee Jackson chipped in 10 kills behind 45 assists dished out by Jasmin Dion. 
 
MATCH ONE: WNMU 3, SE 0
 
SET ONE
The Mustangs were off to a fast start, racing ahead 11-3, but the Storm began to reel in their opponents with a 4-0 flurry to close the gap to 13-9. However, Western New Mexico rattled off another run of scores to push its advantage to 20-10, and would hold the lead to set point, winning the first frame 25-15.
 
SET TWO
Southeastern and Western New Mexico were battling early in the second stanza, with the score seeing three different lead changes and a pair of ties, with Storm trailing 11-10 after a kill by Wilson. The Mustangs would take control from there, rattling off a 7-0 burst to jump in front 18-10. SE took advantage of errors by WNMU to cut into the lead, but the Mustangs' edge would prove too much, taking the set 25-16.
 
SET THREE
Set three was tied 2-2 through the first four rallies, and the Mustangs were first to break the deadlock, taking a 6-3 edge. A pair of kills by Jackson helped the blue and gold trim the gap to one point, though NWMU was swift in its reply, stretching its lead out to 23-15. The Storm would apply late pressure on a 5-1 run, featuring a kill by Anger Ngeth and an ace from Jasmin Dion, but the Mustangs would soon find match point to win the set 25-20.
 
 
MATCH TWO: SE 3, ENMU 1
 
SET ONE
A slow start from the blue and gold allowed the Greyhounds to build a 14-4 lead at the first break, following a Southeastern timeout. Out of the break, the two sides traded points before SE strung together a 4-0 run to close the gap on Eastern New Mexico, 17-11, and force a timeout from the Greyhounds. SE continued to close the gap on ENMU, trimming the Greyhounds' lead to three, 20-17, following an ace by Kylee Turner and a pair of attack errors. Eastern New Mexico would use a timeout late in the set to regroup and hold off the Storm's late charge to win the set 25-18.
 
SET TWO
SE got the scoring started in the second through kills by Ngeth and Jackson, and the Storm would lean on G. Jones, who slammed the next four kills to give SE a 7-5 edge. Wilson soon had the hot hand for the Storm, recording a trio of kills before G. Jones picked up the pace again, slamming down three more, including two in a 6-0 run to push the Storm in front 20-14. Southeastern stayed on the front foot to take the second set, 25-18.
 
SET THREE
The Greyhounds charged out to an early lead in the third stanza, but the Storm were quick to respond with a 7-3 burst, featuring a trio of kills by Dion to pull the Storm within one, 11-10. SE soon began to take control of the set through a pair of Nykeriah Allen kills to take a 17-16 lead, which soon grew to 23-18 after a 5-0 flurry. However, the Greyhounds answered back with a run of points to cut the SE lead to one, but Wilson smashed down the final two kills to secure a SE set win, 25-23.
 
SET FOUR
SE and ENMU matched each other in scoring to start the fourth, and back-to-back points by Dion gave Southeastern a 9-6 edge. The Greyhounds answered back with a 6-1 run to grab the lead, but it would not last long, as SE rattled off a 6-1 flurry, featuring two kills by G. Jones to reestablish a 17-13 advantage.
 
Wilson and G. Jones continued to impact the attack, combining for three more kills to set up match point, 24-19, but a late charge by the Greyhounds quickly made it 24-23. SE turned to G. Jones one more time, who smashed down the final kill of the set to win 25-23.

Southeastern (3-3, 0-0 GAC) wraps up the Meadow City Classic tomorrow with two matches, starting at 10 a.m. CT/9 a.m. MT versus Northwestern Oklahoma State, followed by New Mexico Highlands at 3 p.m. CT/2 p.m. MT.