COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The University of New Mexico volleyball team earned a pair of Mountain West awards on Monday as the conference named Sarah Lobo as Offensive Player of the Week and Ashley Kelsey as Defensive Player of the Week.
The honors, which account for matches played through October 28, are the first such accolades for both players, who helped lead the Lobos to two conference road wins over Utah State and Boise State for the team’s first week with two conference road wins since 2014.
Lobo, a true freshman setter from MIami, averaged 13.86 assists per set in the Lobos’ two wins, with 97 combined assists. She posted 39 assists in the team’s sweep of Utah State and a career-best 58 assists in a 3-1 win over Boise State.
“Sarah has really stepped up for our team and her solid setting has allowed our team to put up really good numbers offensively,” UNM head coach Jeff Nelson said. “Our hitting percentages were really high this week and her assists numbers were outstanding.”
Congrats to Ashley Kelsey & Sarah Lobo on sweeping MW Players of the Week! It’s the first time UNM has ever done that! #GoLobos #UNMatched pic.twitter.com/snZN0D5OeV
— UNM Volleyball (@UNMLoboVB) October 30, 2017
Her 58 assists vs. Boise State are the most by any New Mexico player in a four-set match since Monica Meihack had 65 at Wyoming on November 14, 2003 and the most by any Mountain West player in a four-set match since last November.
Lobo’s 58 assists are tied for the sixth-most by any player in any match in the Mountain West this season, make her the first UNM freshman with at least 58 assists in a match since Sarah Kwasigroch had 63 vs. San Diego State in 2005.
Additionally, Lobo’s 58 assists are also the fifth-most by any New Mexico player (and most by a UNM freshman) during the 25-point, rally-scoring era (2008-present).
She also helped New Mexico hit .276 on the week, with a .352 hitting percentage and 67 kills vs. Boise State. The team’s hitting percentage vs. BSU was its highest since hitting .355 at Wyoming on September 23, while its 67 kills were the most this season.
Lobo also distributed the ball well against Boise State, as four players had double-digit kills. It’s the first time since beating UT Arlington on September 16, 2016 that four players had double-figure kills for UNM.
Lobo also added 18 digs (with 11 vs. Boise State for her second career double-double), three total blocks, one kill and one ace on the week.
She is the first New Mexico setter to earn player of the week honors since Hannah Johnson in 2015.
For Kelsey, a redshirt senior libero from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, she paced New Mexico’s defensive efforts with a team-best 43 digs on the week, averaging 6.14 digs per set. She passed former teammate Miquella Lovato for fourth in program history in career digs, and currently owns 1,417 digs.
“I am really happy for Ashley picking up this award,” Nelson said. “She has been playing very well and really provided good leadership all year. Her passing and defense this past week were outstanding and she kept us in many points with great digs.”
Kelsey posted the game high in digs in both matches, with 21 vs. Utah State and 22 vs. Boise State. She’s posted at least 20 digs in four straight matches, the longest streak in her career and the longest streak by any Lobo since Julia Warren in 2014.
Kelsey also helped the Lobos out-dig both opponents (61-45 vs. USU, 59-46 vs. BSU). New Mexico has out-dug their opponents in four straight matches, the team’s first such streak since last year.
It’s the first time UNM has out-dug four straight conference opponents since the last four matches of 2015.
Kelsey finished with just a single reception error all weekend, logging a reception percentage of .974 (1 errors on 39 total attempts). She also added seven assists, averaging an assist per set.
Kelsey is the first libero or defensive specialist in program history to earn MW Player of the Week honors.
Lobo’s and Kelsey’s honors are the third and fourth player of the week honors for New Mexico this season, with Mariessa Carrasco (Offensive, September 18) and Lauren Twitty (Offensive, September 25) also earning recognition.
It’s the first time under the current two-player system (2015-present) that UNM has earned more than two player of the week honors in a single season. It also ties the program record for weekly MW honors, with four matching the number the Lobos earned in 2008.
It’s also the third time in as many week — and the fourth this season — that a school swept both the offensive and defensive honors in the Mountain West.
The Lobos returns to action on Thursday as they welcome San José State to Johnson Center in Albuquerque.
Fans can follow @UNMLoboVB on Twitter and Instagram for information and updates on the team!