HOBBS, N.M. — It was round two between the Sul Ross State volleyball team and the University of the Southwest Mustangs on Tuesday night.

This time the Mustangs came out fighting.

It was a battle each set, but in the end, the Lobos earned the hard-fought sweep, 27-25, 25-23, 25-21, at the Maddox Student Life Center.

"We played a lot of different people in different areas that we normally don't get a chance to," said Sul Ross head coach Troy Canaba. "I think that kind of hurt the chemistry a little bit, but I think overall a win's a win."

USW came out with a 6-1 lead before the Lobos closed the gap with a kill from Cassandra Espinoza.

Sul Ross used a 5-0 run to take a 14-10 lead. Annika Canaba and Taryn Griner each contributed with some clutch kills while Kamrynn Caruth had a service ace.

The Mustangs battled back to the tie set at 15-all. From that point on there were six different lead changes.

Sul Ross closed out the first game with a 3-0 run to capture the 27-25 victory.

In set two, there two early lead changes before the Lobos went on an offensive spree to take a 14-6 lead.

Caruth had two service aces while Canaba added with a kill during the rally.

Canaba delivered another kill later on to put the Lobos ahead by nine.

Nine points wasn't enough breathing room for Sul Ross as USW came all the way back to trail within one late in the set.

Griner finished off the game with a kill to put the Lobos ahead 2-0 in the match.

After four lead changes to start the third set, Sul Ross got two kills from Griner to lead 13-7 in the middle of the game.

Canaba and Loren Garcia delivered two straight kills to put the Lobos ahead by seven.

Sul Ross was sitting comfortably with a 21-11 lead after a kill from Edie Coleman, but the Mustangs came galloping back to trail by two late in the set.

Griner delivered the final two kills to help the Lobos earn the sweep.

Canaba led the way with 14 kills, 13 assists and seven digs. Griner added with nine kills while Coleman finished with five.

Caruth tallied three service aces, 20 assists and six digs. Faith Herrera added to the defensive effort with nine digs.

The Lobos erased a three-game losing skid with win.
 
"There's been stuff that we've been working on all week and we did really well on it, but there's still some more stuff that we need to get fixed," Troy Canaba added. "We just got to keep working and getting better. Hopefully that will boost them up a little bit and they'll get a little excited."

>> UP NEXT: Sul Ross resumes American Southwest Conference play hosting Howard Payne at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8.