Peter Dindinger – NMMI Sports Press

ODESSA, Texas – It was an all-New Mexico matchup for the Region V West tourney title volleyball match Saturday afternoon at the Odessa College Sports Center.

The No. 6 ranked New Mexico Military Institute Broncos took care of business with a sweep of the New Mexico Junior College Thunderbirds, 25-15, 25-19, 25-21.

NMMI (29-4) will take on Arizona Western for the district championship Tuesday at the Godfrey Athletic Center in Roswell at 7 p.m.

This marks the first time NMMI has won the Region V West tourney since 2018.

"We've just had a game plan, and our kids have done a really good job the last month and a half of implementing that game plan," said NMMI head coach Shelby Forchtner. "They just haven't faltered at all. I was impressed today. I think they only got down one time in one set.

"They played really consistently from beginning to end all day. We've been preaching that for the longest time."

After two early lead changes to start the first set, NMMI started to fire on all cylinders by going on a 5-0 run.

During the rally, Marian Ovalle, Dana Manu and Katarzyna Niderla came away with some clutch kills and blocks.

NMMI's lead grew to nine in the middle of the game.

After a big block by Manu, the Broncos held an 11-point lead to eventually take the first set.

There were eight different lead changes throughout the second game. NMMI had led by as much as six before the Thunderbirds tied up the score at 13-all.

NMJC later had a 16-14 lead until the Broncos surged back to regain the lead on a kill by Niderla.

The Broncos got a block and a kill from Ovalle down the stretch to close out NMJC by a score of 25-19.

Megan Waghorn got NMMI on the board first in the third set with a service ace.

After a block by Barbara Guedes Rezende, the Broncos were able to extend their lead to seven points.

The Thunderbirds (21-11) put up a fight as they tied up the set at 11-all.

NMMI was able to get back on top by using a 4-0 run.

It was a close battle down to the final point, but to no surprise the Broncos held on for the sweep.

Niderla and Ovalle combined for 24 kills while Manu finished with six. Darcy Dodd added with five kills.

Waghorn aided the offense with 18 assists and a pair of service aces while she tallied 10 digs. Karya Suvariouglu had 11 assists.

Mio Yamamoto finished with 20 digs and Manu had 14. Niderla was a force at the net, tallying seven block assists.

Ovalle and Niderla combined for 16 block assists as Ovalle led the way with nine.

"When they are in control of the match they can beat anybody," added Forchtner. "We want to be able to carry that momentum into Tuesday and then hopefully carry that into the national tournament as well."

NMMI sweeps Odessa College, 25-16, 25-14, 25-18

During the Region V West semifinal match, NMMI had to endure 12 lead changes in the opening set.

The Broncos used a 5-0 run to pull away in the middle of the game, taking a 19-14 lead.

Manu and Rezende came away with a pair of kills during the rally.

NMMI later gained a five-point lead with another kill by Manu. The Broncos used a 5-0 run to close out the set with the win.

To start the second set, the Broncos began on a 5-0 run. NMMI never trailed in the set as it surged ahead to an 18-8 lead.

An ace by Niderla kept NMMI's lead at 10 until Rezende and Ovalle teamed up for a block to make the score 22-11.

Dodd got the set point to put the Broncos ahead in the match 2-0.

Odessa (15-7) got the first point to start the final set.

NMMI later took a 2-1 lead with a block by Manu.

The Broncos never trailed from that point. Ovalle tallied a kill in the middle of the game to make the score 18-13.

Odessa College kept on trying to chip away at the lead, but the Broncos kept their composure to stay on top.

Rezende and Suvariouglu came up with a tandem block to extend NMMI's lead to seven to eventually take the match.

Ovalle led the way with nine kills while Niderla and Manu each had eight apiece. Dodd chipped in with seven kills.

Waghorn finished with 15 assists while Suvariouglu had 14. Yamamoto had two service aces and 22 digs.

Jalen Baca and Manu tallied nine digs each while Ovalle added with 10. Baca also finished with a kill off a dig and a service ace.

Rezende finished with six block assists.