Matadors Volleyball wraps up weekend with losses to Central Wyoming and Salt Lake

YUMA, Ariz. – The No. 20 ranked Arizona Western Matadors Volleyball team (3-4) wrapped up play at the Crystal Invitational in Taylorsville, Utah with a 3-2 loss to Central Wyoming and a 3-0 loss to the hosts Salt Lake on Saturday afternoon.

The Matadors dropped the opening match of the day, losing in five sets to the Central Wyoming College Rustlers 3-2.

Larryn Joseph-Rodrigues set a new season-high in kills with 15, leading three Matadors in double-figures in kills.

Central Wyoming took the opening set 25-22 before the Matadors held the Rustlers to just 14 points in the second set, evening the match at 1-1 with a 25-14 set win. The Rustlers came back to take the third set 25-17 but the Matadors were able to force a decisive fifth set with a 25-20 win in the fourth. Central Wyoming put away the Matadors with a 15-10 win in the final set.

Esther Asiedu and Natalia Valencia-Gamboa each had 12 kills in the loss while Rana Yamada led three Matadors in double-figures in digs with 18. Nehir Erimez had 33 assists while Andrea Krgovic set a season-high with 22.

Valencia-Gamboa led the Matadors with 13 kills in the Matadors' 3-0 loss to Salt Lake in the second match of the day.

Salt Lake took the first two sets by the score of 25-18 and finished off the Matadors in straight sets with a 25-20 win in the third set.

Erimez once again led the Matadors in assists with 14 and Yamada led the way in digs with 14.

The Matadors return to action on Friday, September 6, heading to Prescott, Ariz. for the Dalton Overstreet Invitational, taking on Wenatchee Valley College at 10:00 am and Park University Gilbert JV at 1:00 pm.