The Fort Lewis College volleyball team needed a win on Friday to improve its chances making the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament, and they played like they wanted to keep playing.
FLC, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs and South Dakota Mines are battling for the final two spots in the tournament. Adams State, FLC’s opponent on Friday, also had a chance of making the tournament, but needed to win out and also get some help.
The Skyhawks, however, eliminated the Grizzlies from postseason contention with a dominant night, 25-12, 25-13, 22-25 and 25-12. The win also gave FLC control over its own destiny.
On Friday, FLC had a season-best hitting percentage, led by middle blockers Rylee Johnson and Ella Butler. Butler started each of the four sets with a kill to give FLC the early lead while Johnson had five kills in the first set to help set the tone for FLC. The Skyhawks jumped out to an 11-0 lead, with Butler serving. The Skyhawks later went on a 5-0 run to bring up set-point and Butler closed out the set with a big kill.
“Rylee (Johnson) had a performance that you hope to see from a senior player. She was unstoppable, and her leadership was impressive,” head coach Giedre Tarnauskaite told FLC Athletics. “Ella (Butler) not only attacked efficiently in the front row, but her serves were tough, and it was evident why she is one of the top servers in the RMAC.”
The senior/freshman duo of Johnson and Butler combined for 25 of the team's 53 kills on a .666 hitting efficiency. Johnson’s 16-kill effort ties a career-high and her hitting percentage of .583 is a record, bettering a .563 mark against Western New Mexico early in the year. Butler was one shy of a career-high with nine kills, but her errorless efficiency of .750 shattered her previous mark of .466.
“I’m very proud of our offense tonight. It has been our focus point during practice, and it paid off,” Tarnauskaite said. “Natalia (Lambos) did a great job distributing the ball, and our middles had a stellar night.
In addition to the efficient attacking, the Skyhawks were dynamic from the service line and earned a season-high 12 service aces, bringing their season total to 134. Butler led the team with five aces to bring her season total to 35. She ranks second in the conference with a mark of .49 service aces per set. Junior JJ Curry followed with a career-high of four service aces in 18 errorless chances.
Curry was equally as impressive on the pin with nine kills on 21 swings (.286). Sophomore Alexis Hobie also spiked nine kills to go along with 12 digs and three blocks. Senior Kamryn Lopez led all players with 19 digs and 17 errorless reception attempts. Sophomore Lambos totaled 48 assists and a pair of kills.
After FLC dominated the first set, Adams struck first in set two. FLC jumped ahead to 7-3, but Adams stayed close before FLC went o a 7-1 run to bring up set point. Hobie ended the set with a kill.
Needing a win to keep its postseason hopes alive, Adams fought back and won a back-and-forth set 3.
The Skyhawks, however, slammed the door on Adams in the fourth set. FLC jumped out to an 13-3 lead. Late aces from Lauren Shea and Curry brought up match point and Hobie spiked the game winner to the floor for FLC.
With the win, FLC tied UCCS for eighth place in the RMAC at 7-10 in the league. FLC beat UCCS 3-0 earlier in the season so the Skyhawks have the tiebreaker if they both were to win Saturday night. South Dakota Mines also won Friday to move to 8-9 in the RMAC and into seventh place. FLC could make the tournament with a win over New Mexico Highlands, or a loss by UCCS.
The RMAC tournament will begin Thursday and whoever scores the No. 8 seed will get a chance to upset the top-ranked team in the country, Metro State University Denver.
Visit DurangoHerald.com to see how FLC did against New Mexico Highlands on Saturday.
