Peter Dindinger – NMMI Sports Press
The Violeta Konculic era has begun at the New Mexico Military Institute.
During their season opener Tuesday night, the Colt volleyball team battled past the Jal Panthers in straight sets, 25-20, 25-20, 25-22, at the Godfrey Athletic Center.
With every first game comes the jitters of playing competitively in front of the home crowd.
“It feels really good. I think everyone was really nervous, including me. It was a big roller coaster but I think the most important thing is that they overcame that,” said Konculic.
Jal took a 3-2 lead in the opening set before Olive Amechi tied up the game with a kill. From that point on, NMMI went on a 4-1 run.
Amechi added another clutch kill to give her team a three-point lead.
Ashlynn Irish later increased NMMI’s lead to four with an ace in the middle of the set.
The Panthers kept the set close by cutting the deficit to two before tying the score twice late in the game.
Alexandra Kammerer delivered back to back aces to put the Colts on a 3-0 run which ultimately led to the set victory.
There were nine different lead changes in the second set.
Jal was up 7-5 early on before the Colts fought back to take an 11-10 lead after a kill by Taylor Conrad.
A kill by Emily Spaniel gave NMMI a three-point lead in the middle of the game.
Three more lead changes occurred before the Colts finished off the Panthers with a 7-3 run to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
Suspense was plentiful in the final set as each team battled through 12 different lead changes.
After two early ties, NMMI pulled ahead to a 5-3 lead after an ace by Savannah Sandoval. The lead was short lived as the score was tied twice more.
The Colts picked up some momentum to gain a three-point lead. Jal did not want to go down quietly as it tied the score at 14-14.
Conrad tallied another kill to put NMMI ahead by one.
It was a back and forth affair as each team exchanged the lead six times down the final stretch.
With the game tied at 22-22, the Colts went on a 3-0 to close out the match in straight sets.
NMMI travels to Loving for a 6:30 p.m. match on Tuesday, Aug. 31.
This year’s team has two seniors in Kamryn Ryan and Daniela Laporte to tally six upperclassmen to go along with four sophomores.
The group is hungry to compete and get back on the court.
“They all needed this. I think that we have a really good group that wants to work, wants to learn,” Konculic said. “They may not be where we want them to be right now but that’s why we’re here. We’re going to work hard with them.”