Snyder, TX - Western Texas volleyball (8-12, 0-3 WJCAC) lost to the Midland College Chaps (5-8, 2-1 WJCAC) on Wednesday, 2-3 (22-25, 25-19, 22-25, 25-22, 15-12).
The Westerners and Broncos entered Wednesday to faceoff for both sides' third conference matchup. Western Texas has struggled out of the gate as the team dropped their first two conference meetings against Odessa and Frank Phillips. Midland has split their first two conference appearances with a victory against Clarendon and loss against Amarillo.
Western Texas began the night with an impressive start as the home squad tallied three unanswered points for the early lead, 3-0. The Chaps quickly regained their footing and knotted the score back at six apiece, 6-6. Midland would take the edge midway through the set with a three point edge, 10-13. After a long rally and out of bounds spike from a Lady Chap, Western Texas tied the matchup back up yet again, 16-16. The end of the first set was a battle till the end with a tied score late, 22-22. Midland outlasted the Westerners in the first set, 22-25.
The Lady Chaps came out strong in the second set with the first two points scored, 0-2. Though Western Texas played from behind, they worked to regain ground and earned a four point lead halfway through the set, 15-11. Anastasija Andjelic lept at the net to deliver a thunderous strike that was dug but lifted into the ceiling as it dropped for the loud kill, 20-16. Two points shy of the set victory, Flor Lazo jumped to the top of the net for a huge spike kill that put the set at match point, 24-16. Western Texas won the second set to tie the matchup 1-1, 25-19.
The home team played from behind most of the third set but made a strong effort to fight their way back in, 13-15. In their efforts, the Lady Westerners battled their way back into the game and tied it, 17-17. Yet another competitive ending to the third set had the Westerners down by three points, 20-23. Though, Western Texas dropped the third and were behind two sets, 22-25. The Westerners went on a run early in the fourth set to stay alive in the matchup. The home team found themselves up three, 6-3. Western Texas dominated the majority of the fourth set as they went up nine points, 17-8. However late in the set, the Lady Chaps made an impressive comeback to come within one, 21-20. The Lady Westerners held on to push a fifth and final set, 25-22.
Midland came out firing on all cylinders to start the fifth set as they scored four unanswered points to open, 0-4. The Westerners found a rhythm but it was too little too late as Western Texas lost their third consecutive conference meeting,
UP NEXT: Western Texas will remain home with a matchup on Saturday, September 28th against New Mexico Military Institute. The match will begin at 2pm.
Stay connected with the Westerners through social media. Follow Western Texas College Athletics on Twitter @WTCSportsOne. Check in with the Westerners on Facebook/WesternTexasCollegeAthleticsHPE and on Instagram @wtc_athletics.