Peter Dindinger — NMMI Sports Press
Nearing the end of the regular season and with one more game until the start of the Region V tournament, the New Mexico Military Institute Bronco volleyball team is trying to secure the second-seed in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference.
The Broncos (14-7, 7-2) moved one step closer with a straight-set sweep, 25-20, 25-17, 25-18, of the Frank Phillips College Plainsmen on Thursday evening at the Godfrey Athletic Center.
"So for us, we just want to go into the regional tournament on a winning streak," said NMMI head coach Shelby Forchtner. "Our kids are doing good for the most part.
"I think it's good for us to obviously win on our home floor. That's been our goal this whole time."
After a brief 3-3 tie early in the first set, NMMI turned up the intensity and increased its lead to 10-5 after an ace by Marian Ovalle and a kill by Katarzyna Niderla.
Julia Johnson had a clutch kill to put the Broncos up by eight late in the set.
The Plainsmen closed the gap, trailing by four towards the tail end but NMMI prevailed with the win.
NMMI got off to a 5-2 lead in the second set after a pair of kills by Ovalle and an ace by Johnson.
Frank Phillips College went on to tie the set twice more before the Broncos began to pull away.
Another key kill by Johnson put NMMI ahead 14-9.
Down the stretch, the Broncos got some key contributions with an ace by Cassidy Nixon and a kill from Sophia Price to increase the lead to eight to eventually take a 2-0 lead in the match.
The Plainsmen held an early 2-1 lead in the third set that vanished after back-to-back kills by sisters Sophia and Vittoria Price.
Frank Phillips College (5-10, 2-6) tied the set twice more until NMMI used a 9-0 run to gain a 15-6 lead. The rally included a big kill by Heleine Filipe.
Holding an eight-point lead, the Plainsmen cut the deficit down to four.
NMMI finished strong down the stretch with a key tandem block by Filipe and Niderla and another ace from Nixon.
Filipe slammed down the final kill to help the Broncos finish off the Plainsmen.
Johnson had 11 kills, two service aces and nine digs while Ovalle, Filipe and Niderla each finished with seven kills apiece.
Nixon contributed with 23 assists and two service aces while Tiffinay Gauspohl added with 16 assists and 10 digs.
Darcy Dodd chipped in with six kills while Jalen Baca tallied 12 digs.
NMMI hosts Clarendon College at 2 p.m. Saturday for the regular season finale.
"We just got to continue to keep building," Forchtner added. "Odessa was our toughest competition and I feel like if we can get out here and do what we've been doing we should be able to take care of Clarendon too."