TEMPE, Ariz. — The Lobos got close, but against another ranked team, close just wasn’t enough.
Eastyn Baleto and Julia Warren snapped a cold streak and Devanne Sours and Chloe Crappell picked up a point, but the University of New Mexico sand volleyball team fell 3-2 to Bakersfield to open the ASU Sand Volleyball Challenge.
Despite losing its eighth match in a row, the first-year Lobos (1-9) won as many courts Friday at the PERA Club in Tempe as they had the last two weekends, and gave the 19th-ranked Roadrunners (10-6) a tightly contested game.
It’s the first time since beating fellow first-year program TCU on the program’s opening day that the Lobos scored more than one point in a match.
Although today’s match wasn’t a win, it’s a step in the right direction for a team that has played an exceptionally difficult inaugural schedule.
New Mexico has already played No. 18 Grand Canyon three times, No. 10 Arizona twice, No. 1 USC once and now No. 19 Bakersfield.
And while the on-court product is still developing, the Lobos are hoping that the rigors of this year’s slate will pay dividends as the program continues to grow.
Baleto and Warren, playing on court three after losing four straight matches at the two position, dispatched Bakersfield’s tandem of Sophie Flemion/Sara Little in straight sets, 22-20, 21-19.
It’s the pairs first match win since March 27 when they scored New Mexico’s only point versus No. 1 USC. However, they lost their next four matches until their move down in the order.
The team with which Baleto and Warren switched also benefited from the move, as Sours and Crappell combined to knock off the Roadrunners’ Sydney Haynes/Danika Youngblood 21-14, 13-21, 15-13.
It’s their first win since pairing up for the first time against USC.
However, despite a couple of slump-busting wins, the Lobos couldn’t edge by CSUB.
On the No. 1 court, Ashley Kelsey and Hannah Johnson fell to Mariah Alvidrez/Molly O’Hagan in three sets, 21-17, 17-21, 15-12. UNM’s No. 4, Ashley Newman and Lise Rugland also lost in three sets, falling 23-21, 22-24, 15-11 to Hazel Perrens/Kelsee Sawyer.
Maddie Mayfield and Jackie Baro rounded out the Lobos’ pairs, as they lost 21-16, 21-10 on court five to Luiza Martins/Star Tucker-Campbell.
The Lobos return to action tomorrow when they take on the Arizona State at 1 p.m. MT and No. 10 Arizona at 5 p.m. MT. Check back tomorrow evening at GoLobos.com for a recap of the day’s action.
Bakersfield 3, New Mexico 2
- Mariah Alvidrez/Molly O’Hagan (CSUB) def. Ashley Kelsey/Hannah Johnson (UNM): 21-17, 17-21, 15-12
- Devanne Sours/Chloe Crappell (UNM) def. Sydney Haynes/Danika Youngblood (CSUB): 21-14, 13-21, 15-13
- Eastyn Baleto/Julia Warren (UNM) def. Sophie Flemion/Sara Little (CSUB): 22-20, 21-19
- Hazel Perrens/Kelsee Sawyer (CSUB) def. Ashley Newman/Lise Rugland (UNM): 23-21, 22-24, 15-11
- Luiza Martins/Star Tucker-Campbell (CSUB) def. Maddie Mayfield/Jackie Baro (UNM): 21-16, 21-10