Career-Highs Propel T-Birds in Five-Set Win

The No. 15 New Mexico Junior College volleyball team outlasted conference foe Western Texas College in five sets (25-19, 25-20, 16-25, 16-25, 15-11).

The T-Birds won the first two sets of the match before dropping the next two. The deciding fifth set went in favor of the Thunderbirds 15-11 as they secured their second win of the season Friday afternoon. 

Outside hitter Gaby Arias finished with a career-high 16 kills and eight digs in the five-set win. Olivia Swipiarski notched a career-high with 14 kills in the win over the Westerners. 

Setter Taina de Lima Nunes set a career-high in assists with 30, while adding nine digs. Libero Addison Carillo recorded a career-high with 27 digs in the match.

Setter Sude Omerickoglu finished the afternoon with 23 assists and seven digs. Outside hitter Iva Popovic recorded her first double-double of the season. The Belgrade, Serbia native notched 12 kills and 15 digs. 

The Thunderbirds begin the season 2-0 and will play tomorrow Saturday, Aug. 19 at 8 a.m CDT against Coastal Bend College.