ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico volleyball team lost to SMU Saturday night as the Lobos’ comeback bid fell short in the five-sets finale to the Lobo Classic at Johnson Center.
Despite besting the Mustangs in several key statistical categories and rallying from a two-set deficit, the Lobos couldn’t convert three match-point opportunities in the final set, and fell 23-25, 22-25, 25-19, 25-20, 16-18. New Mexico (4-2) finished second in the Lobo Classic.
“We passed well and served well,” New Mexico head coach Jeff Nelson said, “but we lost it in some places with sloppy blocking and some poor choices offensively late in the match.
“SMU kept the ball in play and we made three errors at the end and that’s a bummer. We played really well and statistically, except for blocking, out played them.”
The Lobos outhit SMU (5-1) .225 to .198, and registered more kills (71 to 62), assists (67 to 61) and service aces (five to three). The Mustangs’ only major statistical advantage was blocks, where SMU held a substantial 18 to 12 lead.
Devanne Sours played exceptionally well later in the match and keyed New Mexico’s comeback bid. After hitting .143 (six kills, four errors, 14 attacks) through the first two sets, she erupted for 13 kills in the final three frames and finished the match with a .342 success rate.
She ended the match with a career-high 19 kills and 12 digs.
“Devanne lit it up,” Nelson said. “She put 50 percent of her balls away. She hit .342. That is a big recovering over the course of the match.”
But the rest of the Lobos’ outside hitters struggled to hit consistently, as Julia Warren hit .115 with 16 kills and Cassie House .074 with nine kills.
New Mexico’s middle blockers, Simone Henderson and Skye Gullatt, found success, finishing with 13 and 12 kills, respectively.
Hannah Johnson tallied 62 assists and 15 digs, while Mercedes Pacheco paced the Lobos’ defense with a career-high-tying 18 digs.
Both teams showed their parity early, trading points in the first set. Neither team could build more than a two-point lead, with 17 ties in the set. But SMU leaned on its size in the middle, as the Mustangs’ compiled eight blocks in the set.
Gullatt tallied three straight kills from the middle and Warren and House added kills of their own to give UNM a 20-19 lead, but SMU scored the last three points to win 25-23.
Set two was more the same, with both teams matching each other point for point until SMU posted two separate 4-0 runs for a 14-9 lead.
New Mexico couldn’t come within four points until the waning moments of the set, and despite a valiant rally, the Lobos dropped set two 25-22.
SMU came out hot in the third set, leaping out to an 11-5 lead. The Lobos responded with an 8-2 run to tie the set a 13 and finished the set with another 8-2 run to force a fourth set.
New Mexico hit .375 (14-2-32) in the third set, relying on gusty play by Warren (four kills, ace) and Henderson (five kills) to extend the game.
UNM came out swinging in the fourth set, and behind a series of kills and blocks by Sours, the Lobos opened a 15-13 in the frame. Warren and Sours propelled New Mexico to the victory, as Sours notched three straight kills en route to a 25-20 UNM win.
The Lobos rode their momentum into the fifth set, storming to an 8-6 lead. But despite having three match points, SMU topped New Mexico 18-16 in the decisive set.
Sours, Johnson and Henderson were all named to the Lobo Classic All-Tournament team, while SMU’s tournament MVP, Janelle Giordano, was joined by teammates Cailin Bula and Avery Acker on the all-tournament team. Santa Clara’s Nikki Hess was also all-tournament.
New Mexico returns to action on Thursday as they open the USC Classic in Los Angeles versus Pepperdine. The Lobos’ Friday match vs. USC will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.