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Southern New Mexico volleyball teams delivered decisive performances this week, with Cloudcroft, Las Cruces, and New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) each securing straight-set victories while state rankings from MaxPreps and the New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) spotlight Las Cruces’ dominance and offer a mixed picture for Otero County programs.
In Class 2A action, the Cloudcroft Lady Bears (12-10, 4-3 district) swept Mescalero Apache with scores of 25-15, 25-10, and 25-20. The win keeps Cloudcroft in the playoff hunt and sets up a crucial home match Friday against Mesilla Valley Christian, currently ranked No. 3 in Class 2A. Mescalero Apache (2-20, 1-6) showed grit in the final set but couldn’t overcome Cloudcroft’s consistent attack. The Lady Chiefs next travel to Capitan on Thursday.
In Class 5A, the top-ranked Las Cruces Lady Bulldawgs (21-0) overwhelmed Alamogordo in a lopsided sweep: 25-7, 25-8, 25-9. Las Cruces holds the No. 1 spot statewide with a rating of 32.03, followed by La Cueva (21-2), Cleveland (15-6), St. Pius X (17-3), and Albuquerque High (18-3). Alamogordo (7-15, 1-8) struggled to gain traction against Las Cruces’ aggressive play and will look to rebound Saturday at Gadsden.
In Class 3A, NMMI edged out Tularosa in three competitive sets—25-19, 25-18, 25-20—highlighting the Colts’ balanced offense and defensive discipline. Tularosa (12-10, 1-4) remains ranked No. 8 in Class 3A despite the loss and will face Ruidoso on Thursday in a key district matchup.
While Las Cruces continues to dominate the statewide rankings, Otero County teams show varied progress. Tularosa leads locally with a top-10 Class 3A ranking, Cloudcroft remains unranked but competitive in Class 2A, and Alamogordo and Mescalero Apache face uphill battles in their respective districts.
Sources:
NMAA Volleyball Rankings – Fall 2025
MaxPreps New Mexico Volleyball Rankings – Fall 2025
NMAA Class Rankings – September 2025