THE RUNDOWN
WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Needing wins to make a push for the 2018 Lone Star Conference Tournament, Midwestern State took a huge step on Friday, sweeping Western New Mexico at D.L. Ligon Coliseum (25-19, 25-22, 25-15).
 
MSU Texas held the Mustangs to a negative hitting percentage while racking up nine blocks, the most in a three set match this season.
 
Junior Sarah Eakin continued to dominate in the middle for the Mustangs, marking the third time in the last four matches the Wichita Falls native has strung for at least seven rejections. She added five kills to go along with a .333 hitting percentage.
 
Junior Erin Richburg wielded a powerful swing, putting down 11 kills, her ninth time eclipsing double figures this season. The Rowlett product added a team-high 14 digs for her fifth double-double of the year.
 
MSU Texas never trailed in the first set, led by six kills from Richburg to grab a 1-0 lead in the match.
 
Tied at six in the second frame, the Maroon and Gold strung together a 10-4 run and leading by as many as seven (18-11) before WNMU closed the gap within two at 23-21. A pair of kills from freshman Lauren Honeycutt put the set away giving MSU Texas a 2-0 edge.
 
In the final set, MSU Texas left no doubt, racing out to a 13-2 advantage to close out the sweep.
 
Bria Augustine put up 12 kills for WNMU while adding 12 errors on 41 swings.
 
MATCH NOTES
- Midwestern State earned its second-straight win with a 3-0 sweep of Western New Mexico on Friday at D.L. Ligon Coliseum
- The Mustangs improved to 5-17 on the season and 3-11 in Lone Star Conference play
- MSU Texas tallied a three-set high of nine blocks and outhit WNMU .184 to -.017
- Friday marked the first time this season MSU Texas had held an opponent to a negative hitting percentage
- Junior Sarah Eakin recorded seven blocks for the third time in the last four matches
- Sophomore Sarah Glawe logged her 831^st career assist, passing Taryn Westerman's 12^th-place mark of 830 set from 2010-11
 
UP NEXT
MSU Texas returns to the courts on Saturday, Oct. 20, against UT Permian Basin. First serve is slated for 2 p.m.