Griffins Home for Pair of RMAC Matches
The Westminster women's volleyball team returns to the Behnken Field House this weekend to host a pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference matches. The Griffins welcome Colorado Christian on Friday at 7 p.m. They will then host No. 17 Colorado School of Mines on Saturday at 4 p.m.
 
Tickets for both matches are now available at WestminsterGriffins.com/tickets.
 
Both of this week's matches will also be carried live on the RMAC Network with David Winkworth calling the action. There will also be live stats available during the action. Links for both live features are available at WestminsterGriffins.com/live.
 
About the Griffins
The Griffins return home with a 2-8 overall record and at 0-2 in RMAC action. They will start the winning have dropped four straight matches. The team has split four home matches on the year and they have lost seven straight home conference matches.
 
Westminster is hitting .128 as a team while averaging 10.3 kills per set. They rank fifth in the RMAC at 1.35 service aces per set. Griffin opponents average 13.6 kills per set and are hitting .223. Westminster is getting 1.68 blocks per set while averaging 14.79 digs.
 
Amara Spere leads the Griffins with 88 kills – 2.59 kills per set – and she is tied for the team lead with 10 service aces. Desiree Wickwar is posting 2.31 kills per set and leads the team by hitting .255. Amber Lamborn is tied with Spere with 10 aces.
 
Taylor Gustafson has a team-best 184 assists and Emilie Austin has 118. Megan Gallegos leads all Griffins with 131 digs and Katie Allen has a team-high 22 blocks.
 
Looking Back
Westminster opened RMAC play with a pair of road losses last weekend. They were swept at Western State Colorado on Friday with Spere leading the team with eight kills. Colorado Mesa swept the Griffins on Saturday. Aubrey Louder led the Griffins with seven kills and .467 hitting in the loss.
 
RMAC Action
• Westminster enters the second weekend of RMAC play at 0-2. They are among five teams that started without a win during the first weekend. Adams State, Colorado Mesa, Colorado Mines, Fort Lewis, and MSU Denver all begin the week at 2-0.
 
Point of Attack
• Amara Spere leads the team in kills, aces, and is second in blocks entering play this weekend. The junior has been in double figures in kills during four matches and has led the team in kills seven times. Spere tied a tournament record with six aces against Texas A&M international on September 9.
 
Up the Charts
• Spere continues to make her way up the career leaderboards at Westminster and starts the week ninth in team history with 612 kills. She is fifth all-time by hitting .201 for her career and ranks seventh with 167 total blocks. Spere can also be found in the Westminster top-10 in attack attempts, solo blocks, and block assists.
 
Offensive Weapon
• Desiree Wickwar has been a threat for the Griffins this season and currently ranks second on the team with 60 kills. The junior is averaging 2.31 kills per set and hitting .255 in 26 sets played. She has also recorded 18 blocks to rank third on the team. Wickwar has recorded double-digit kills twice this season, including a career-high 14 against Fort Hays State.
 
Last Line of Defense
• Megan Gallegos continue to provide the team with excellence at the libero position as the junior is averaging 3.85 digs per set this season. Gallegos has been in double figures in digs seven times and she had a season-high 21 against Fort Hays State. She begins the week with 896 career digs to rank sixth in team history.
 
Set the Offense
• With Westminster primarily running a 6-2 offense, Taylor Gustafson leads the team with an average of 5.58 assists per set. Gustafson has led the team in assists during eighth matches this season and currently ranks fourth in school history with 1,587 career assists. She has also averages 1.67 digs per set this season and has recorded two double-doubles.
 
Dual Threat
• Emilie Austin is the other half of the setter attack for the Griffins and the freshman is averaging 3.93 assists per set on the year. Austin has twice led the team in assists and she also ranks third on the team by getting 2.00 digs per set. She has a pair of double-doubles on the season to tie for the team lead.
 
Match Facts: Colorado Christian
• Colorado Christian holds a 1-0 lead in the all-time series.
• The Cougars defeated the Griffins in four sets last season in Salt Lake City.
• CCU enters the week at 7-4 overall and 1-1 in RMAC play.
• The team is averaging 12.8 kills per set and hitting .195.
• Sophia Proano is fifth in the RMAC by averaging 3.76 kills per set.
 
Match Facts: No. 17 Colorado School of Mines
• Colorado Mines is 1-0 all-time against the Griffins.
• The Orediggers swept the Griffins in SLC last season.
• They start the week with an 8-2 overall record and 2-0 in the RMAC.
• Mines leads the RMAC by hitting .248 while averaging 13.77 kills per set.
• Alanna Winfield ranks second in the conference with her 4.06 kills per set average.
 
Looking Ahead
• The Griffins will play three matches next week, including a home match against Dixie State on September 28. They will also play RMAC matches at Chadron State on September 30 and at Regis on October 1.