RENO, Nev. (Nov. 21, 2019) – For the third time this season, the Wyoming volleyball team rallied all the way back from two sets down to win in five sets as the Cowgirls defeated Nevada Thursday night on the road. Set scores went 19-25, 23-25, 25-19, 25-18 and 15-7.
In the win, senior libero Madi Fields became the all-time career digs leader in program history as she notched a match-high 21 digs. Coming into the match, Fields needed just four to break Becky Stewart's record. For her career, Fields now has 1,701 digs.
With the win, the Cowgirls (20-8, 15-2 MW) earn their fifth 20-win season in just seven years under Head Coach Chad Callihan. Prior to Callihan's arrival in Laramie, UW had just seven 20-win seasons in program history.
This marks the third time in 2019 that the Cowgirls have won three straight sets to survive and get a victory. Wyoming did it earlier this season at home against Northern Colorado and against UNLV in the Mountain West opener. The Cowgirls are 6-3 on the season in five-set matches.
Nevada (17-12, 7-10 MW) led wire-to-wire in the first two sets and looked prime to upset the Cowgirls, however, Wyoming was able to make a 8-2 run late in the second set and gained some momentum going into the third.
The beginning portion of the third set went back-and-forth before a 5-2 run by UW gave it some breathing room and the Cowgirls were able to get a comfortable third-set victory. The fourth and fifth sets were all Wyoming as the Cowgirls didn't trail in either set and scored the first five points of the decisive fifth.
KC McMahon led four Cowgirls in double-figure kills with 13 on the night. Jackie McBride added 12 while Emersen Cyza and Tara Traphagan each had 11. Faith Waitsman chipped in with six kills and hit a team-best .357. As a team, the Cowgirls hit .218 while Nevada registered just a .125 clip as a squad.
McBride and Waitsman each led the Cowgirls defensively with five block assists while McMahon and Kyra Slavik each chipped in with three total. On the night, Wyoming out-blocked the Wolf Pack 11 to 7.
In addition to Fields' record-setting night, Hailey Zuroske added 12 digs while Slavik chipped in with nine, one shy of recording a double-double as she led the way with 41 assists on the night. Mackenzie Coates added 11 and four digs.
The Cowgirls close their regular season Saturday as they travel to face San Jose State in a 3 p.m., contest. With a win, UW would finish the season in sole possession of second place in the Mountain West.
-WYO-
