DENTON, Texas (OCT. 3) – The TWU volleyball team cruised to a straight-set victory over Eastern New Mexico on Friday night in front of 498 fans at Kitty Magee Arena.  The Pioneers won 25-8, 29-27 and 25-17 to improve their record to 10-6 overall and 5-2 in the Lone Star Conference.
 
TWU was led by junior middle blocker Hillary Shaffer with a game-high 11 kills and a .381 hitting percentage.  Other standouts for the Pioneers were freshman Elizabeth Pennington with seven kills and a .583 hitting percentage and senior Jaqueline Santos with nine kills and a .364 hitting percentage.  
 
In the first set it was all Pioneers as they hit a .357 as a team while posting six blocks at the net.  TWU committed just one error in a 17-point win.
 
In the second set, the Zias scored the first four points and built a 14-7 lead.  Trailing, 22-15, the Pioneers scored eight straight points to take a one-point lead.  Both team traded points until TWU closed out the set 29-27.
 
The Pioneers carried the momentum into the third and built an early 12-5 lead.  TWU again hit over .340 and committed just two errors in an eight-point win.
 
TWU finished the game with 12.5 team blocks and held Eastern New Mexico to just .094 hitting percentage.
 
"We served really well and played great defense at the net with 12.5 blocks," said TWU head coach Shelly Barberee.  "We dug ourselves a hole in the second set but showed lot of heart and came back to win.  Hillary played a great game and Jackie did well after moving to the outside for the first time."
 
TWU will return to action when they host West Texas A&M on Saturday, Oct. 4.  First serve is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in Kitty Magee Arena.
 
"WT is a really good team and we need to carry this momentum into tomorrow's game," Barberee said.