ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico volleyball team fell in a five-set heartbreak to UNLV on Thursday evening by scores of 30-28, 25-20, 21-25, 24-26 and 10-25. The Lobos took a two lead through the first two sets but fell in the next three, dropping to 16-10 on the season and 8-5 in the Mountain West.
It looked good for the Lobos in the first two sets but it wasn’t easy as UNLV beat them in three straight sets the first time around this season and UNLV came into Johnson Center with its heads high after a big win over No. 10 Colorado State last week.
In the first set, the Lobos led up until about half way through the set when the Rebels tied it at 18-18. The two teams went point-for-point in the next five plays as the Lobos received kills from sophomore Cassie House. A couple of attack errors from the Lobos put them behind 24-20 giving UNLV set point. But the Lobos put up a fight and got the next four points, tying the set at 24-24. Again, it was a point-for-point battle until a kill from senior Chantale Riddle sparked the Lobos. An attack error by the Rebels put the Lobos up 1-0 on the match.
UNLV fired back in the second set with a 12-9 lead but again the Lobos were not backing down as back-to-back kills from House and a kill from Riddle tied the set up at 13-13. The two teams traded points until the Lobos took the lead for good at 17-16. Kills from Sours, House and Riddle put the Lobos up 2-0 heading into the locker room for half time.
The next three sets were tough for the Lobos. UNLV sparked back with a .265 hitting percentage to UNM’s .188 hitting percentage in the third set. The Lobos led early but UNLV was right there with them. It was back and forth again in the middle of the set but back-to-back kills from House put the Lobos up 20-19 and forced the Rebels to a timeout. After the timeout the Lobos extended their lead to 21-19 on an attack error by the Rebels but an attack error from House and three straight kills from the Rebels put the Lobos behind 24-21. A final Lobo mistake gave the set to the Rebels.
The Lobos had chances in the fourth set to take the match and shut down the Rebels. The entire set was back and forth between the two teams. Point Lobos. Point Rebels. The set was tied at 23-23 after a kill from Sours and the Lobos gained another point from a House kill for set and match point but two back-to-back kills from UNLV’s Kaitlin Winters and a Rebel service ace put the match tied at 2-2.
UNLV came out swinging in the fifth and final set, hitting .370 with a total of 10 kills. The Lobos hit .207 also with 10 kills. UNLV was out to a 5-2 lead before the Lobos cut it to 5-4 and tied it on the next point on a Riddle kill. Three straight points from UNLV put the Lobos behind again 9-6.
The Lobos were looking for a consistent offense but attack errors and kills on the Rebel side saw the match slipping away from the Lobos. New Mexico called a timeout when they were trailing 14-10 but UNLV’s Alyssa Wing came out of the timeout with a kill and the match for the Rebels.
It was a career night for many players on the UNM squad. Riddle recorded her 12th double-double of the season with a team-high of 24 kills and career-high of 24 digs. Junior Hannah Johnson was a huge asset in tonight’s match as she recorded her 14th double-double of the season with a career-high of 65 assists and career-high 18 digs. House had a career-high of 21 kills while Sours added 17 kills.
But defense was a big key to this game and sophomore Julia Warren, who has never player in the libero position until this season, recorded a career-high of 32 digs. That goes down as the 3rd most digs in a single match in UNM history.
For the match, the Lobos hit .22 to UNLV’s .244 percentage. UNM tallied 76 kills, 72 assists, 99 digs and nine blocks. UNLV had 75 kills, 68 assists, 84 digs and 10.5 blocks.
The Lobos will play in Johnson Center on Saturday, looking to regroup and take on San Diego State, who took the Lobos in five sets the first time they met this season. The first serve is set for 1 p.m. Fans, if you bring your football tickets, you will received a discounted ticket of $3.
“They’re really a strong team that comes in and competes everyday,” said Warren. “So I think we just need to raise our level a little bit and work on the little things.”
RIDDLE WATCH: Senior Chantale Riddle is now 1.5 points away from breaking UNM’s all-time career points record and 41 kills away from breaking the all-time career record. Former Lobo volleyball player Tania Gooley, who is being inducted into the Hall of Honor this week, currently holds both of those records.