The Mavericks, in their first two home games, showed just how dangerous this team is when they are firing on all cylinders.
The Colorado Mesa University volleyball team went 2-0 in their two-game homestand and lost only one set during the entire weekend. Redshirt-junior Kasie Gilfert led the team in kills with 31 through the two matches, and CMU also had 26 blocks through both games as they dominated through and through.
“Besides the first set on Friday night, I think it was a really good weekend. Dixie is a good team, Westminster has improved, so I’m really happy. After losing to Pueblo we didn’t know what was going to happen, so I’m just really happy with the whole weekend,” CMU Head Coach Dave Fleming said.
In the first game, the Mavericks played Westminster College (WC) and won the game 3-1. In the first set, however, the Griffins looked like they were about to give CMU a run for their money in this game.
The two-win Grffins scored the first three points of the first set to grab the early momentum, but the Mavericks tied the game up at 4-4. Both teams were trading points back and forth but neither team could grab control of the set. CMU took the lead at the 18-point mark, but the Griffins clawed back into the set and tied the game up at 24 to win the game 24-26.
The second set was when the Mavericks woke up, as they went on a 7-2 run to open the set. When the Mavericks were up 18-6, the Griffins attempted a comeback as they strung together two multiple-point runs but they didn’t have enough to catch up as CMU won the set 25-16.
The third set was more of the same from the Mavericks, as they took control of the set early with an 8-2 lead. With the momentum on their side, the Mavericks continued to dominate the Griffins as they went up 18-10 mid-way through the set. CMU closed with exceptionally well scoring the five-final points in a row to close the set out 25-17.
The final set was played everything the fans craved for well by both teams, but the Mavericks came back from that loss in the first set to win the last three. The Griffins took an early lead, but the Mavericks took the lead back 9-5. Before WC could react, CMU had doubled their score 16-8, and they couldn’t get back into the game as the Mavericks won 25-17.
“We went 9-1 at home last year, so I think it is pretty important in the RMAC to protect home-court, especially when we get teams like Dixie in here and then we have to go play them on their home court, and we don’t get some of the other teams here,” Fleming said “I think we have the best crowds in the RMAC, and I think that showed this weekend. I don’t know if it is a point of emphasis for us, but we definitely want to take advantage of that.”
In CMU’s second game of the weekend, they played Dixie State University in the Swing for Life Game, and the Mavericks won the match 3-0. CMU’s hitting percentage was .205 which is under their season average, but it was still enough to sweep the Trailblazers who were undefeated in the RMAC before Saturday.
In the first set, the Trailblazers scored the first points, but the Mavericks answered quickly with two of their own, and they went up 8-3. DSU clawed their way back into the set mid-way through and tied it up 15-15. CMU closed the set well as they took the momentum and won the set 25-19.
The Trailblazers came out in the second set on fire, as they took an early 8-4 lead, but the Mavericks rolled with the punches as they took control of the set 15-11. After that big run for CMU, DSU was never able to tie the set back up and to take the lead back, as the Mavericks won the set 25-21.
The third set was crazy as both teams had a chance to win the set, but ultimately CMU won the set and completed the set. Both teams were trading points back and forth, as neither team could grab a lead bigger than two points before the other team tied the game back up. DSU took the lead 25-24, but the Mavericks scored three points in the row to win the set 27-25.
“I think we were really good on the defensive side, and this was one of our better serving weekends, and if you can take care of those two contacts that’s huge, and I think we were balanced,” CMU Head Coach Fleming said “If you look at our stats prior to this weekend, we weren’t as balanced, we were middle driven, but we got a lot of production out of our right sides this weekend and that was really good.”
In their first two home games, CMU had 14 blocks, 144 digs and 104 assists.
The Maverick’s next game will be October 4 against MSU0Denver at 7 p.m. in Denver, Co.
