Oct. 29, 2005
LAS VEGAS – The New Mexico volleyball team could not catch a break tonight at Cox Pavilion, falling 3-0 to UNLV. The Lobos had opportunities to win each game but could not overcome the Rebel’s home court advantage.
Freshmen Michelle Miller and Sarah Kwasigroch and junior Kelly Therkelsen guided the Lobos to a 15-7 lead in game one behind Miller’s three kills and an ace, Therkelsen’s two kills and a block and Kwasigroch’s kill and ace. UNLV’s Maria Aladjova churned out two aces, a block and a kill to spark an 11-3 Rebel run to tie the game at 18. With the score tied at 27, Aladjova put down a kill for the lead as UNLV held on for a 30-28 win.
UNLV netted the first point of game two and never relinquished the lead, winning 30-22. The Lobos stayed close and were trailing by just two points at 18-16 when Mariana Pencheva put down a kill and two blocks and Lauren Miramontes added an ace and three blocks to pull away.
The Rebels started game three the same way, getting the first point and never letting go of the lead. UNM was down by two at 26-24 when UNLV put together a 4-0 run for the 30-24 win.
Miller put down a team-high 12 kills with four digs and a block. Senior Chelsea Sondrup added nine kills and three blocks. Kwasigroch hit a team-best .333 (3K-1E-6TA) with 30 assists, seven digs and three blocks. Freshman Gayle Tripp had a team-high eight digs.
Pencheva led the Rebels, hitting .667 (14K-0E-21TA) with four blocks, a dig and an assist. Aladjova chipped in with nine kills and two blocks while Melody Nua hit .400 (2K-0E-5TA) with 31 assists, six digs and four blocks.
The Lobos return to the court on Friday, Nov. 4, hosting TCU in Johnson Gym at 7 p.m. The match is the final home MWC competition and will be senior night with a special recognition ceremony for Sondrup, Kailin Downs and Nicole Ryan.