New Mexico vs. Utah State – Albuquerque, N.M.
When: Wednesday at 7 p.m. MT
Where: Johnson Center in Albuquerque, N.M.
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It may just be the end of another home schedule, but, in some ways, it’s an end of an era.
The University of New Mexico volleyball teams caps its home schedule Wednesday night as it hosts Utah State and sends off its three seniors on Senior Night at Johnson Center.
The Lobos (15-13, 8-7 Mountain West) are led by seniors Hannah Johnson, Skye Gullatt and Simone Henderson, and are looking to end their home slate on a high note against the Aggies (6-23, 2-13 MW) Wednesday.
“We’ll have a nice senior night for them,” UNM head coach Jeff Nelson said. “We play Utah State … but we’re really going to focus on our side on Senior Night. Let those kids go out and play good ball and do get things. I feel like things will go the way we hope they will.”
UNM has a chance to rally late for a strong finish to its season, and will look to do so behind a talented and decorated senior class that’s chasing a handful of personal records.
Johnson is the team leader and captain, and is heartbeat of the Lobos. She’s second in program history in career assists with 4,046, and is just 128 from eclipsing Jade Michaelsen for the all-time record.
The Longview, Wash., native has had three seasons of more than 1,000 assists, and is just 31 digs from passing 1,000 in career. She’s 14th in the NCAA in career assists among active players.
“Hannah’s provided a lot of the leadership in that group,” Nelson said. “I think everybody knows that. She’s going be missed.”
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| Simone Henderson |
The other two seniors are middle blockers, with Gullatt and Henderson.
Gullatt, out of Denver, Colo., is also vying for some program records in her last few matches, and is 22 total blocks from the program record. Her 443 career blocks also rank 17th in Mountain West history and 15th among active players in the NCAA.
She’s also third in Lobo history in block assists (368) and sixth all-time in block solos (75), and is tied for 10th in career hitting percentage (.275).
“Skye is 5-10 and I think her best jumper here is like 10-5 30-plus vertical and the athleticism,” Nelson said. “Plus being that small and being in the running to break the career blocking record is pretty awesome.”
Henderson, hailing from Palm Springs, Calif., is fourth in program history in hitting percentage with a .322 clip and owns the sixth-best single-season total in blocks with 132 last season. She’s stuffed four block solos last year in match vs. Colorado State, which is tied for eighth most in a single match in UNM history.
“Simone transferred to us last year from Grossmont Community College and has been a two-year starter for us,” Nelson said.
That trio, which owns 84 percent of New Mexico’s assists and 81 percent of the Lobos’ blocks this season, will be looked upon vs. Utah State to pace UNM to another victory.
“All three of those kids have had great careers here and we’ll look forward to celebrating their senior night,” Nelson said.
And the Lobos have found their stride offensively lately, which has helped UNM stay competitive down the stretch. New Mexico’s pinhitters, especially Cassie House, Devanne Sours and Julia Warren, have stepped up and produced more kills during last week’s split at UNLV and Fresno State.
House tallied 19 kills in the Lobos’ match vs. UNLV and followed that up with her first career double-double against Fresno State.
Sours is still leading UNM with 317 kills, but House (235), Warren (229) and Henderson (220) are also key contributors.
The Lobos’ picked up a key win last week at Fresno State with a sweep and they aim to continue that against Utah State, a team that has struggled in a balanced Mountain West.
Although picked to finish eighth in the 11-team league, the Aggies have only won twice in the conference, both coming at home. USU is winless in 10 tries on the road, with six in sweeps.
The Lobos, conversely, have been solid at home, going 9-5 overall and 5-3 in MW play.
Outside hitters Kaylie Kamalu (325 kills) and Rachel Gale (320) are the offensive leaders for USU, which relies on setters Erica Moscoso (521 assists) and Kassidy Johnson (466) to arrange the offense.
Defensively, Carly Lenzen (90 blocks) leads the Aggies’ net play, while reigning MW Defensive Player of the Week Hannah Gleason has 455 digs on the season. USU isn’t the tallest team, with only one player over 6-foot-1 playing in more than half its matches.
First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT, with festivities planned for before the match. Follow the links at the top for the broadcast and live stats, and follow @unmvolley on Twitter for in-game updates.