Sept. 30, 2005
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – UNLV (6-8, 2-1 MWC) held on for a 3-2 win over the New Mexico volleyball team (9-4, 1-2 MWC) Friday night at the Johnson Center. The Lobos, just one win away from tying the most wins in a season under head coach Kelley McKee, look to rebound tomorrow night as they host San Diego State at 7 p.m.
In game one, UNLV took the lead at 2-1 and never looked back, getting a 30-19 win. The Rebels got five of their 15 kills frm Brittani Lumsden. Overall, UNLV hit .406 (15K-2E-32TA). Seniors Chelsea Sondrup and Nicole Ryan each put down three kills, combining for more than half of the team’s total kills (6-of-11).
Ryan and Sondrup fueled UNM to a 30-27 win in game two. Ryan hit .583 with eight kills and just one error on 12 attempts. Sondrup hit .571 (5K-1E-7TA) while both recorded a solo block and block assist. The Lobos recorded their highest hitting percentage of the match in game two, with a .318 average (18K-4E-44TA). UNLV managed to hang with the Lobos for most of the game but with the score 25 all, the Rebels committed three errors to give UNM the momentum needed for the win.
UNLV took an early lead in game three and held it for a 30-23 win. Lumsden and Maria Aladjova each posted seven kills to lead the Rebels. Junior Kelly Therkelsen made the most noise for UNM, putting down four kills, an ace and a block while hitting .429 (4K-1E-7TA).
The Lobos refused to give up, battling with UNLV until the very end, pulling out a 30-28 win. There were nine ties, including one at 28 that brought the crowd to its feet in hopes of rattling the Rebels, who held posession of the serve. UNM force an attack error on the Rebels before sending the match to game five on a kill from Ryan. Therkelsen hit .875 on seven kills, no errors and eight attempts. Ryan put down five kills while sophomore Samie Weber chipped in three.
UNLV started off game five with a 7-0 run and held on for a 15-8 win thanks to the play of Lauren Miramontes. Miramontes had three kills, two aces and one block in the final game. Sondrup led UNM with two kills.
Overall, Ryan put down a team-high 17 kills with two aces, four digs, two solo blocks and two block assists. Therkelsen hit a team-high .323 with 14 kills, five assists, four block assists, one solo block and one ace. Sondrup recorded 12 kills, five blocks and one assist. Weber had a team-high six blocks with nine kills and an ace for a .318 hitting percentage. Freshman Sarah Kwasigroch dished out 50 assists with eight digs, four blocks, two aces and two kills. Freshman Gayle Tripp led UNM with 17 digs.