by Box Score KANSAS CITY, Kan. – NM State continued to roll in conference play with a hard fought 3-1 victory of Missouri-Kansas City on Thursday night at the Swinney Recreation Center.
The Aggies leave Kansas City with their ninth straight win in conference play, with the 25-22, 21-25, 25-20, 25-16 decision.
The senior duo of All-America candidate Gwen Murphy and Andrea Tauai set the pace for NM State. Murphy, the Elfrida, Ariz./Valley Union HS native led the Aggies in kills with 15 and registered an incredible .500 hitting percentage. Bradley Nash (Navajo Nation) added 5 kills and 4 digs on the evening
“Gwen is a special player,” said head coach Mike Jordan. “At one in point the match, [UMKC] was tripling her up and still couldn’t slow her down.”
Tauai, a native of Tauranga, New Zealand/Tauranga HS, earned a double-double, with 10 kills and 13 digs. This was her third double-double of the season, with the other two coming against Wichita State and Abilene Christian in September.
“Andrea played really well tonight,” commented Jordan. “She kept us in system a lot, and did a great job passing and taking advantage several one-on-one matchups.”
Freshman Tatyana Battle also registered double digit kills. The Albuquerque, N.M./Cibola HS native logged 11 kills in the match.
“Tatyana is playing really well for a freshman,” Jordan said. “We just need her to stay consistent with her swings. When she does that, I think she is an all-conference player.”
UMKC was led by junior Madison Mosier who was one of three ‘Roos to register double-digit kills. The Lee’s Summit, Mo. /Pittsburgh State native came away with 14 kills and a .444 hitting percentage. Meagan Kerns and Skyler Muff also logged double-digit kills with 10 and 11, respectively.
This match was by far the Aggies hardest fought win of the conference slate so far. In the opening set, NM State got behind early with UMKC holding as much as a four point lead through the first half of the frame. The Aggies finally grabbed the lead at 18-17, and went on to claim the set 25-22.
In the second set, NM State went ahead early with a four-point lead of its own midway through the frame. However, the ‘Roos hung around and went on a six-point run late in the frame to capture it 25-21.
After the break, the Aggies came out flat and error-prone as UMKC ran out 3-0 to start the set and led for the most of the set. However, NM State broke through and took the lead for good at 16-15, and went on to take the frame 25-20.
With momentum on their side for the fourth and final set, the Aggies proved to be too strong for the ‘Roos. NM State opened up the set on a 6-0 run. UMKC did their best to keep it relatively close, but the Aggies won the set by a 25-16 decision to close out the match.
NM State is back in action Saturday, October 31 as they travel to Chicago, Ill. to take on Chicago State. First serve is set for 11 a.m. at the Jacoby Dickens Center.
