PUEBLO, Colo. - The Colorado State University Pueblo Volleyball team won their Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener 3-0 at home versus New Mexico Highlands University.

With the win, the ThunderWolves improve to 6-3 on the season and 1-0 in RMAC play, while the Cowgirls fall to 2-7 on the season, with a 1-1 record in RMAC play,

Offensively the Pack were led by Rayliene Joens (Elkhorn, Neb./Winona State), as the senior led the squad with eight kills, hitting a whopping .500 on the night.

Freshman Hallie Hewlett (Bountiful, Utah/Bountiful) continued her incredible start to her collegiate carreer, as the Utah native led the ThunderWolves with 22 assists on a .489 night. 

Kendall Schmitz (Lee's Summit, Mo./Arkansas-Fort Smith) also had a  great night, leading the Pack in assist percentage with 12 assists on a .522 night. 

On a rare night, All-American Sadie Scoville (Pleasant Grove, Utah/Pleasant Grove) did not lead the Pack offensively, but rather on the defensive end, recording a team-high 10 digs. Scoville still was third on the team in kills with six. 

ABOUT THE WIN

The Pack had no trouble taking care of the Cowgirls on Saturday night, winning easily in three sets. 

CSU Pueblo got out to an early 8-3 lead, when the Pack scored four straight poitns with Schmitz serving, including two service aces. The Pack extended their lead to 14-6, wth kills from Joens and Macy Wood (Sandy, Utah/Alta). The Pack extended their lead to 19-9 after Hewlett got a rare kill. The Pack never looked back, taking the set easily 25-13.
 
The ThunderWolves started off the second set slowly, trailing 4-1 early on, but clawed their way back into the set, tying it at nine apiece. CSU Pueblo took their first lead at 13-12 when Scoville knocked through a service ace on the Cowgirls. 

CSU Pueblo never looked back in the second, extending their lead, going on a 8-1 run to make the score 21-13, which was too late for Highlands to make a run. The Pack eventually took the set 25-16.

Up two games to none, CSU Pueblo cruised in the third with no resistance. Up 13-3 early on, Schmitz served eight times in a row to dominate the Cowgirls, while Hewlett and Natalie Hamann (Monument, Colo./Lewis Palmer) both had runs of four straight serves which resulted in points for the Pack. CSU Pueblo took the third and final set 25-11.

UP NEXT FOR THE PACK

CSU Pueblo returns to action on Tuesday evening, as the ThunderWolves travel to Alamosa, Colo. to take on Adams State University. Starting time for the match will be at 6:00 PM and will be streamed on the RMAC Network.