TEMPE, Ariz. — No surprises, but for a team playing its first season, the growing pains are real.
The University of New Mexico sand volleyball team, playing in just its sixth and seventh matches ever, dropped a pair of 5-0 decisions Saturday, falling to No. 19 Grand Canyon in Phoenix and to Arizona State in Tempe.
New Mexico, which also lost 4-1 to top-ranked USC on Friday, is now 1-6 in its first year playing sand volleyball as an intercollegiate sport.
Although New Mexico hadn’t played like a first-year program for the first two weeks of its season, more established programs playing on their senior days managed to beat the youthful Lobos as they build toward their own program.
Additionally, the Lobos played their first-ever true road matches after playing exclusively neutral and home matches to this point.
UNM could only muster two set wins on Saturday, and its most consistent pair, Eastyn Baleto and Julia Warren, was shut out en route to losing it first two matches of the season.
But these struggles are hardly surprising considering the challenging first-year schedule devised by head coach Jeff Nelson and his staff.
So far, New Mexico has played the No. 1 Trojans, No. 19 Grand Canyon three times and a couple of team — Arizona State and LSU — that have received votes in the nation polls during the year.
The Lobos’ one win was over first-year program TCU back on March 8.
Game 1: New Mexico 0, Grand Canyon 5
For the first time this season, the Lobos’ dynamic duo of Baleto and Warren lost.
The pair, which started 5-0 to open the season, couldn’t recapture the magic it had last night when it won against No. 1 USC. That set win was just the fourth yielded by USC all season, and it was a bright spot for the Lobos.
But, despite forcing the second set to extra points, Baleto and Warren lost 21-15, 23-21 on court two to Grand Canyon’s Alex Green/Brooke Razo.
But they weren’t the only pair to struggle against Grand Canyon at the GCU Sand Courts in Phoenix. Only one other court saw a Lobo win as Grand Canyon swept its three-game season series with New Mexico.
On court three, Devanne Sours and Chloe Crappell managed to claim a set versus Grand Canyon’s Kaitlynn Ausmus/Megan Glennie, but ended up dropping the court 21-17, 15-21, 15-10.
Hannah Johnson and Ashley Kelsey lost in straight sets to Kenzie Phelps/Shannon Dugan on court one (21-13, 21-12), as did Lise Rugland/Ashley Newman, who lost to Becca Conrad/Alex Goodman (21-19, 21-14).
Court five saw Sami Reynolds and Jackie Baro battle to a 21-19, 21-18 loss to Chloe Jenkins/Britta Forsythe.
In an exhibition match, Maddie Mayfield and Sara Weber lost 21-8, 21-7 to Kami Dickerson/Chloe Stone.
Game 2: New Mexico 0, Arizona State 5
After a short trip to Tempe, the Lobos looked to end their skid against the Sun Devils. But Arizona State, playing on its senior day, blanked New Mexico at the PERA Club.
In a virtual repeat of their match versus Grand Canyon, the Lobos saw Baleto and Warren fall in straight sets with Sours and Crappell providing the lone set win.
On court three, Sours and Crappell took Kizzy Willey/Sydney Palmer to three sets, but, after dominating set two, they couldn’t convert in set three, losing 21-18, 14-21, 15-7.
New Mexico’s No. 2 doubles, Baleto and Warren, were shutout for the second consecutive match, losing to Sun Devil seniors Bethany Jorgensen/Jordy Checkal 21-13, 21-9.
In both matches, Baleto and Warren had to contend with seniors playing in their final home games.
Elsewhere, New Mexico’s No. 1 duo of Kelsey and Johnson dropped its match versus Macey Gardner/Bianca Arellano 21-10, 21-10.
Additionally, the Lobos’ No. 4 pair of Newman and Rugland forced extra points in set one before losing 22-20, 21-9 to Whitney Follette/Halle Harker, while Baro and Reynolds lost 21-14, 21-9 to Andi Lowrance/Frances Giedraitis.
However, the Lobos did get one win on the day, as Mayfield and Weber knocked off the Sun Devils’ BreElle Bailey and Blair Robalin 25-23, 21-11 in an exhibition match.
New Mexico returns to action with next weekend with a two-match series against the University of Arizona on Saturday and Sunday in Tucson.
Game 1: Grand Canyon 5, New Mexico 0
- Kenzie Phelps/Shannon Dugan (GCU) def. Hannah Johnson/Ashley Kelsey (UNM) 21-13, 21-12
- Alex Green/Brooke Razo (GCU) def. Julia Warren/Eastyn Baleto (UNM) 21-15, 23-21
- Kaitlynn Ausmus/Megan Glennie (GCU) def. Devanne Sours/Chloe Crappell (UNM) 21-17, 15-21, 15-10
- Becca Conrad/Alex Goodman (GCU) def. Lise Rugland/Ashley Newman (UNM) 21-19, 21-14
- Chloe Jenkins/Britta Forsythe (GCU) def. Sami Reynolds/Jackie Baro (UNM) 21-19, 21-18
- Exhibition: Kami Dickerson/Chloe Stone (GCU) def. Maddie Mayfield/Sara Weber (UNM) 21-8, 21-7
Game 2: Arizona State 5, New Mexico 0
- Macey Gardner/Bianca Arellano (ASU) def. Ashley Kelsey/Hannah Johnson (UNM): 21-10, 21-11
- Bethany Jorgensen/Jordy Checkal (ASU) def. Eastyn Baleto/Julia Warren (UNM): 21-13, 21-9
- Kizzy Willey/Sydney Palmer (ASU) def. Devanne Sours/Chloe Crappell (UNM): 21-18, 14-21, 15-7
- Whitney Follette/Halle Harker (ASU) def. Ashley Newman/Lise Rugland (UNM): 22-20, 21-9
- Andi Lowrance/Frances Giedraitis (ASU) def. Jackie Baro/Sami Reynolds (UNM): 21-14, 21-
- Exhibition: Maddie Mayfield/Sara Weber (UNM) def. BreElle Bailey/Blair Robalin (ASU) 25-23, 21-11