Nelson Interview | Doran Interview
PHOENIX — The Lobos are still a young team, but on just the third day of the 2016 season, they played like seasoned veterans.
The University of New Mexico beach volleyball team picked up its third win of the season Sunday morning, as it wrapped up its opening weekend with a 3-2 victory over California at the GCU Beach Courts in Phoenix.
Behind a gutsy, come-from-behind performance from Hannah Johnson & Julia Warren and continued consistent play from Eastyn Baleto & Marisa Doran, the Lobos matched their total number of wins from last year through the first weekend.
New Mexico (3-2) also topped Arizona State and Colorado Mesa on Friday before rebounding from two losses Saturday for its win Sunday over a Cal team (2-3) that was receiving votes in the polls.
“Overall, it’s a great weekend,” New Mexico head coach Jeff Nelson said. “We had two wins over Pac-12 teams and two wins over teams ranked honorable mention in the first poll. We’re 3-2 and that’s as many wins we had all of last year. I think it’s just going to go up and up.”
The Lobos negotiated their first competitions of the year with a significant amount of poise for a team just entering its second season.
After a strong Friday, the Lobos couldn’t maintain momentum against No. 17 South Carolina or No. 6 Florida State on Saturday.
| Marisa Doran |
But UNM regrouped for its early-bird match against California, dispatching the Golden Bears in order to start the match as the first three courts to play all won.
“I thought we were really eager to get back on the court today and play ball after letting that get away yesterday,” Nelson said. “I liked what did bouncing back.”
Baleto & Doran provided the Lobos a quick spark, jumping out to a 21-17, 21-13 victory over Cal’s Teya Neff & Rachel Wilson on court four.
“I thought Marisa and Eastyn had their best match yet getting the four spot,” Nelson said. “They really played well in game two.”
It’s the duo’s fifth straight win to open the season, including a victory Saturday against sixth-ranked Florida State. They’ve now tied the program record for most consecutive wins in the program’s brief history, as Baleto and Warren teamed up to win five straight to open last season.
“Coming into this we were 4-0 and we knew we wanted to come out 5-0,” Doran said. “… We had some close points where we were going back and forth, and I think just staying on our game and some tough serving really kept us in the game. From there on, we were able to push through and get the W.”
Carson Heilborn & Maddie Mayfield also pushed through for a win on the No. 5 court, as they overcame Cal’s Katie Regalia & Emily Shults in three sets, 22-20, 18-21, 15-10.
Those two tandems have been key in the Lobos’ victories over Arizona State and Cal, helping New Mexico to early leads before the matches switched over to the top three courts.
“Both of those teams had great weekends for us,” Nelson said, “picking up a lot of wins and keeping us in matches going into the switch.”
Johnson & Warren clinched the win for New Mexico as they battled back from an 18-15 deficit in the second set to win 21-16, 22-20 over Grace Campbell & Olivia Rodberg on the No. 3 court.
“They won the first game pretty solidly, 21-16, and then came back in game two and got the win at 22-20,” Nelson said. “They held off a couple of game points, and I thought they did a great job pulling in the win.”
The Lobos had chances to build on their 3-0 lead in the match, taking the ones court to a third set.
Cassie House & Lise Rugland managed to even the No. 1 court at one set apiece, but the duo couldn’t seal the deal, falling 21-14, 18-21, 15-9 to Mia Merina & Sarah Cole.
On the No. 2 court, UNM’s Ashley Kelsey & Devanne Sours fell 21-16, 21-17 to Bryce Bark & Kory Lamet.
The Lobos return to action next Sunday when the head back to Phoenix for a pair of matches against Grand Canyon and San José State. The Lobos will also pick up two matches on Monday, playing Irvine Valley College and MiraCosta College in Irvine, Calif.
New Mexico 3, California 2
1. Mia Merina & Sarah Cole (Cal) def. Cassie House & Lise Rugland (UNM): 21-14, 18-21, 15-9
2. Bryce Bark & Kory Lamet (Cal) def. Ashley Kelsey & Devanne Sours (UNM) 21-16, 21-17
3. Hannah Johnson & Julia Warren (UNM) def. Grace Campbell & Olivia Rodberg (Cal): 21-16, 22-20
4. Eastyn Baleto & Marisa Doran (UNM) def. Teya Neff & Rachel Wilson: 21-17, 21-13
5. Maddie Mayfield & Carson Heilborn (UNM) def. Katie Regalia & Emily Shults (Cal): 22-20, 18-21, 15-10
Order of Finish: 4, 5, 3*, 1, 2
*Clinched dual win