PHOENIX — History accomplished.
The University of New Mexico sand volleyball team, playing its first season ever, inaugurated its debut schedule with a split of its weekend slate against LSU and TCU at the GCU Sand Courts in Phoenix.
The Lobos, who have officially started playing as the university’s 22nd intercollegiate sport, captured a 5-0 decision over TCU in the afternoon game after falling to LSU 4-1 in the program’s first-ever game.
“I thought it was a really good first day for Lobo sand volleyball,” New Mexico sophomore Julia Warren said. “We competed well with LSU. Unfortunately we lost that one. But with TCU, we [were undefeated against] them, so I think it was a great foundation for every team.”
New Mexico, despite never facing another school in competition, fared well in the first two matches in program history as the team played part of a four-team, four-match day hosted by Grand Canyon University.
The Lobos won 13 of a possible 22 sets (not including a split of two exhibitions), and finished just a few points short of claiming a couple extra set wins.
However, the Lobos were especially excited to finally start playing.
“It was great,” head coach Jeff Nelson said. “I think everyone was excited. There were definitely some nerves early on, but as the day went on it got better and better and we had a lot of fun.”
New Mexico, which sports an even 1-1 record through one week, announced the addition of sand volleyball in September, and started practicing a month ago.
But to finally get into the sand for some real action was enough for history.
Game 1: New Mexico 1, LSU 4
In the program’s first game in history, the Lobos opened with a split of the first two courts, but couldn’t win in any of the match points in the second flight of doubles.
“We had a great first match with LSU,” Nelson said. “We were in it right down to about the last 10 minutes of the match, and ended up losing 1-4. But we had two really close matches that were exciting.”
Eastyn Baleto and Julia Warren put New Mexico on the board first, capturing UNM’s lone match point in a two-set win over LSU’s Emily Ehrle and Carly Morris on court four. The duo claimed the opening set 21-17 and the second set 21-18 to open the day.
But it was the only set New Mexico would win against the Tigers, who are in their second year as a program.
Hannah Johnson and Chloe Crappell gave LSU’s Mandi Orellana and Katie Lindelow all they could handle on court one after dropping their first set 21-16. The pair managed to take a lead in the final minutes of the second set before falling 21-18 after a late Tiger surge.
Devanne Sours and Ashley Kelsey also pushed their opponents, Helen Boyle and Laura Whalen, to the brink. After falling 21-19 in set one, the duo came back with a 21-16 win in set two to force a third set.
But, despite a valiant rally, LSU won 15-10 in set three to claim the match..
Court three, featuring Ashley Newman and Lise Rugland, fell in straight sets (21-14, 21-15) to Cati Leak and Callan Molle, while Maddie Mayfield and Sara Weber also lost in two sets (21-11, 21-14) versus Riley Young and Cheyenne Wood.
In the exhibition game vs. LSU, Sami Reynolds and Jackie Baro dropped a two-set decision.
Game 2: New Mexico 5, TCU 0
New Mexico captured its first victory ever in its second match of the day, topping TCU in straight sets.
Despite the outcome of the morning match vs. LSU, the Lobos rebounded with a resounding win.
“I thought we were a little nervous, jittery in the first match,” Nelson said. “In the second match we were kind of over that and just played really good ball. All the teams played really steady”
Warren and Baleto kicked off the action again for the Lobos, knocking off the Horned Frogs’ Blaire Pickens and Sarah Grantham 21-16, 21-14 to finish the day undefeated. The duo were the only Lobo pair to finish without a set loss, wrapping up the weekend with a 4-0 set record.
“I think me and Eastyn really vibe together,” Warren said. “I think it’s going to be great partnership and we’re excited to see what happens in the future.”
But they weren’t alone in earning match points in the second match, as the rest of the squad made quick work of TCU.
Out of the five doubles, only one went to three sets, with four UNM pairs sweeping their opponents.
Baro and Reynolds added a sweep in the first flight, dispatching Cheyenne Perkins and Chyna Perkins 22-20, 21-16, on court five, while Newman and Rugland knocked off Alexia Heist and Sutton Sunstrum 21-12, 21-12 on court three.
Sours and Kelsey also seized a match point in their battle against Ashley Smith and Macy Capen on court two, as the Lobo pair won 21-15, 21-12.
The final point between UNM’s Johnson and Crappell and TCU’s Natalie Gower and Shane Peters was the closest of the match, as the court saw a split in sets one and two.
But, after falling 21-15 in the first set, Johnson and Crappell rebounded with a dramatic come-from-behind 22-20 win in the second to force a decisive set three, where UNM won 15-6.
Weber and Mayfield also won their exhibition match to wrap up a 6-0 performance vs. the Horned Frogs.
New Mexico returns to action with its first-ever home match, welcoming Grand Canyon to StoneFace Courts on March 21.