LAS VEGAS, N.M.— Junior Natalee Todd put down a match and career-high 16 kills and also added a career-high six blocks to lead the Colorado Mesa University volleyball team to a second 4-set away win in as many nights, this time over New Mexico Highlands University.
 
Todd, who has now rising double-figure efforts in each of the Mavericks' last four matches, also hit an impressive .371 on 35 swings as the Mavericks overcame a slow start to post the 17-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-21 win over the Cowgirls on Saturday night here in the Wilson Complex.  CMU has now won four straight away matches and is unbeaten in seven straight outside of their home venue, counting three neutral-court matches.
 
CMU, 12-4 overall and 6-2 in the RMAC, also received solid efforts from sophomore setter Samantha Ritter, junior libero Taylor Woods and got a key spark off the bench from redshirt freshman Hailey Crane, who tallied a career-high 10 kills.  Ritter had 41 assists and a career-high 19 digs.  She also put down six kills on just nine attempts and added three blocks.  Woods finished with a match-high 20 digs.
 
Junior outside hitter MacKenzie Edwards also added an 11-kill, 11-dig double-double but committed eight of the Mavericks' 31 hitting errors as the Mavericks were out-hit for the second straight night.  She did play well defensively with four blocks as the Mavericks tallied 10 as a team.
 
The Cowgirls (5-8, 2-6 RMAC) got out to a quick 6-2 start and extended their opening-set lead to 14-5 and later to 19-7.  Despite dropping the set, CMU would score 10 of the final 16 points of the frame and took that momentum into the second racing out to a 7-0 lead behind two blocks and two Crane kills.
 
The Cowgirls would gradually pull back within one (15-14) before a Todd kill sparked a 3-0 Maverick run that gave CMU some breathing room.  However, the Cowgirls would rally once again pulling even at 22 before kills by Todd and Crane and a set-ending Highlands service error equalized the match at 1-1.
 
The Mavericks came out of the intermission strong and led the third set 9-4 before NMHU fought back to equalize at 13.  Todd and Crane then had kills in a 4-1 mini-run to give CMU a 17-14 lead en-route to the first of two straight 25-21 set wins.
 
In set 4, the Cowgirls jumped out to a 4-1 lead before the Mavericks tied the set at 7.  CMU would not take their first lead until a Crane kill that made it 20-19 but scored five of the final seven points to close out the match.  Naomi Pinnecoose was at the service line for part of that stretch, recording an ace.
 
The Mavericks will return home for mid-week practice and classes but hit the road again next weekend for two key RMAC matches at Colorado Christian and Colorado Mines next Friday (Oct. 13) and Saturday (Oct. 14), respectively.  Colorado Christian, 10-7 overall, is 7-1 in the RMAC and just one match clear of the Mavericks in the conference standings.  Colorado Mines (14-3 overall) is a perfect 8-0 in conference play and is currently ranked 22nd in the nation.