New Mexico Lobos Volleyball – At Boise State & Utah State
Thursday: New Mexico at Boise State, 7 p.m. MT
Saturday: New Mexico at Utah State, 7 p.m. MT
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico volleyball team will travel this week to Mountain West foes Boise State and Utah State to continue its current three-game win streak. The Lobos are 14-9 on the season and 6-4 in the MW which is currently fourth place.
The Lobos won all three of their matches last week, including a 3-0 sweep of New Mexico State, the first sweep since 2009, a 3-1 win over Nevada and 3-1 win over San Jose State. On Thursday, the Lobos came out strong and took the four set match by scores of 25-14, 21-25, 26-24 and 25-17. On Saturday, SJSU took the first set 23-25 but the Lobos won the next three sets by scores of 25-15, 25-17 and 25-14.
The team was led by senior Chantale Riddle, who put up a total of 42 kills for the three matches last week. She averaged 3.82 kills per set for a .282 hitting percentage. She also picked up 28 digs and 15 blocks, averaging 2.55 digs per set and 1.36 blocks per set. Hannah Johnson collected 112 assists for the three matches, averaing 10.18 per set. Julia Warren picked up a total of 51 digs with 4.64 per set.
Boise State is currently tied for sixth in the conference with a 5-5 record along with Utah State. The Broncos are hitting .270 on the season with Kaitlyn Oliver leading the way with a .395 hitting percentage. Sierra Nobley is also a threat as she has tallied a total of 291 kills this season with a team-leading 3.78 kills per set. The Broncos are averaging 14.04 kills per set, 12.97 assists per set, 13.00 digs per set and 2.08 blocks per set. Sarah Baugh is the Broncos’ setter with 866 assists on the season which is 11.10 per set. The Lobos swept Boise State in Johnson Center on Oct. 4 in their last meeting.
In the Lobos’ last meeting with Utah State, the Lobos played tight match and came out on top of a five-set thriller. The Aggies are more of a threat in the blocking category as they average 2.96 blocks per set on the season and 3.04 blocks per set in conference matches only. They are hitting .183 for the season with 12.2 kills per set along with 11.49 assists per set and 14.48 digs per set. With 262 kills, Rachel Orr is one of the Aggies better players. Kaitlyn Vanhoff is lead the squad in hitting percentage at .332.
LOBOS IN THE NATION…For the season, the Lobos are hitting .203 with averages of 12.30 kills per set, 11.39 assists per set, 14.83 digs per set and 3.13 blocks. Among those numbers, the Lobos rank fourth in the nation with 3.13 blocks per set and move into fifth this week in opponents hitting percentage of .134. With 256.5 total teams blocks, the Lobos are fourth in the nation. Senior Chantale Riddle is 18th with 1.40 blocks per set and she is 19th in total blocks with 112. She also ranks 51 in points per set with 4.58 and 81st in kills per set with 3.70. Junior Simone Henderson is 27th in the nation with 1.40 blocks per set.
LOBOS IN CONFERENCE…In the conference the Lobos are ranked in the top 5 in three categories. They are ranked first with a .134 opposing hitting percentage, second in blocks per set at 3.13 and third with 14.83 digs per set. In conference matches only, the Lobos rank first in digs per set with 15.70, second in blocks with 3.24 per set and second in opposing hitting percentage at .137.
Riddle is ranked in three categories for all matches. She is first in points with 4.58 per set, second in kills with 3.70 kills per set and third in blocks with 1.40 per set. Johnson is first in double-doubles with 11.
For conference matches only, Riddle is first in two categories with five double-doubles and 4.58 points per set. She is second in kills per set with 3.81. Simone Henderson is third in conference matches with 1.43 blocks per set.
JOHNSON MOVES UP TO 8th ALL-TIME OF CAREER ASSISTS…With a total of 773 assists on the season, Hannah Johnson is now 8th on the all-time career assists lists. She has a career total of 2,639 assists. She passes up Sara Kwasigroch.
BECOMING A SOLID LIBERO…In mid-season, sophomore Julia Warren switched from being an outside hitter to the Lobos’ starting Libero which was the first time she has ever played that position. Warren has definitely showed that she is the best passer on the team as she is putting up solid numbers in the back row. She moved into ninth in the conference with 3.46 digs per set in just conference matches and tied a career-high in digs against SJSU with 22. She also tallied 21 digs against Nevada. On the season, Warren has collected 218 digs which leads the team and is averaging 2.87 digs per set.
RIDDLE ON PACE FOR ALL-TIME KILL LEADER…Senior Chantale Riddle is on pace to break the all-time kill record. The record is currently held by Tania Gooley, who is being inducted to the Hall of Honor this year as she played from 1991-94 and tallied a total of 1,579 kills in her career. Riddle started the season with 1,182. In the tenth week of the season, Riddle has collected 296 kills which moves her career total up to 1,478. That career total puts her at second on the all-time list. Riddle is now 102 kills away from the all-time record. Riddle is averaging 3.70 kills per set and is hitting .245 for the season.
Riddle passed Gooley on the all-time list for attempts and is first in UNM history with 3,968. She is also second on the all-time list for points with 1,748.5, second with 411 total career blocks and second in block assists with 361.
NELSON ON PACE FOR 400th WIN…Head coach Jeff Nelson picked up his 300th career win on November 27, 2009 and is on pace in 2014 to pick up his 400th win. His 300th win was a 3-1 win at New Orleans. Before the season started, Nelson was 22 wins away from the 400 mark, but with two wins at the Lobo Classic, three wins at the MCM Elegante Lobo Invitational, two wins at the SMU Invite, four wins to start league, the Rio Grande Rivalry victory and wins over Nevada and SJSU last week, Nelson is now just 8 wins away from the 400 club with only 8 matches left of the season. Nelson earned his 150th as New Mexico’s head coach on Saturday against San Josè State.
CONSISTENCY ON THE OUSTIDE…Head coach Jeff Nelson was looking for more consistency on the outside since the season began and he received that last week as both sophomores Cassie House and Devanne Sours hit above .200 and combined for a total of 44 kills. House averaged 3.25 kills per set while hitting .254 while Sours averaged 2.25 kills per set with a .200 hitting percentage. The two also picked up four blocks each. For the season, House is hitting .140 with a total of 164 kills (2.31 per set). Sours is hitting .177 with 107 kills on the outside (1.95 kills per set).
GOOLEY TO BE INDUCTED INTO HALL OF HONOR…Tania Gooley, who played from 1991-94 will be inducted into UNM’s Hall of Honor this year. Gooley is currently Lobo volleyball’s all-time kill leader with 1,579 kills. The induction will take place on Nov. 8.