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TUCSON, Ariz. — The University of New Mexico beach volleyball team split its slate of matches on Friday, defeating CSUN 4-1 before falling to No. 7 Arizona 5-0 on the opening day of the Wildcat Spring Challenge.
The Lobos (11-4), saw their winning streak reach eight matches against the Matadors (1-7), but they couldn’t extend their run against the host Wildcats (7-1) as illness and fatigue started to impact the team under the hot Tucson sun.
“Arizona is ranked seventh and they’re really good,” head coach Jeff Nelson said. “We had chances to win a couple games and push a couple matches and we just let it get away from us. But we beat Northridge 4-1 but had to forfeit the two spot. Hopefully tomorrow everyone will feel a little better.”
With Hannah Johnson already sick and Devanne Sours coming down with stomach flu-like symptoms early Friday, New Mexico wasn’t playing at full strength.
Sours had to withdraw from the CSUN match, forfeiting a point, and wouldn’t return to the lineup for the Arizona match.
That, combined with the significant mileage the Lobos have been racking up — all three of UNM’s road trips have been driving trips, with games in Arizona and California — proved to be too much for New Mexico during its nationally televised showdown with Arizona on the Pac-12 Network.
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| Chloe Crappell |
“All of the driving is definitely taking its toll on everyone,” Nelson said. “I just felt like we looked a little flat and a little tired. Hopefully we can bounce back tomorrow and get out of here at 12-4 and continue to move forward.”
Despite the general fatigue and illness on the team, the Lobos continued to impress during their second season, which has seen UNM improve from 3-11 in 2015 to 11-4 in 2016, with a chance to add a win Saturday morning vs. CSU Bakersfield.
Before falling to the seventh-ranked Wildcats, New Mexico hadn’t lost in nearly two weeks, and had several pairs sitting on multi-game win streaks.
“I still love where we’re at,” Nelson said. “I just don’t think we can do better than what we’re doing overall.”
The Lobos return to action Saturday morning for a match with CSU Bakersfield at 11 a.m. MT at the Arizona Sand Volleyball Courts.
Match 1: New Mexico 4, CSUN 1
Although CSUN came in with a less-than-stellar record, the Matadors hadn’t played an easy match, losing to four top-10 teams heading into Friday.
But the Lobos, who were receiving votes in the national polls, didn’t give CSUN any easier of a game, winning 4-1.
“[CSUN] has played a lot of good teams,” Nelson said. “We were able to manage. Outside of the point that we forfeited, we won every match. I thought we played good ball.”
Eastyn Baleto & Marisa Doran got New Mexico on the scoreboard first with a 21-14, 21-15 win over the Matadors’ Erin Indermill & Aeryn Owens on court four. It was the pairs 14th-straight win to open the season.
Maddie Mayfield & Carson Heilborn followed up with a strong 22-20, 21-13 victory against Nicoletta Stork & Nicolette Pinkney on the No. 5 court, while Cassie House & Ashley Kelsey clinched the match on the No. 1 court with a 22-20, 21-15 win versus Lauren Conati & Katie Sato.
On the No. 3 court, Johnson & Julia Warren picked up a win over Kristey Markle & Rachel Gam, 21-18, 21-18, their seventh-straight win at the time.
The Lobos were also in position to sweep CSUN on the second court behind Lise Rugland & Sours, but Sours had to bow out in the second set with the score 9-3. Officially, the Matadors won the court by default, 21-11, 21-3.
New Mexico also claimed the win on the exhibition court as Jackie Baro & Chloe Crappell edged Nada Dragovic & Kamden Maas 21-14, 16-21, 15-13.
Match 2: Arizona 5, New Mexico 0
Even though New Mexico managed to extend its winning streak in the morning, enough factors came together Friday afternoon — including a very talented Arizona team — to halt the run at eight straight.
“Overall, we battled, but I think the whole team expected to come out a little more aggressive and a little more in charge and we didn’t do that,” Nelson said. “We were a little passive in the opening match and hopefully it will be a learning experience as we go forward.”
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| Eastyn Baleto |
Down one player in the No. 2 position with Sours sidelined, the Lobos were already at a disadvantage against Arizona. And the Wildcats pounced quickly, taking early leads on New Mexico in the first flight of courts.
To open the scoring, Mayfield & Heilborn fell 21-14, 21-13 to UA’s Hailey Devlin & Mackenzie Kleespies on the No. 5 court.
Baleto & Doran also lost, dropping their first match of the season in a 21-17, 26-24 setback to Mia Mason & Sara Pantovic. The Lobo pair had opportunities in the second set to force a third frame, but couldn’t claim the upper hand.
The tandem is now 14-1 on the season, but even with the loss, they’ve only dropped four sets all season.
Johnson & Warren saw their seven-game streak also end as Arizona’s Samantha Manley & Olivia Macdonald won 21-17, 21-8 on the No. 3 court.
On the No. 2 court, Rugland teamed up Crappell, but the duo dropped a 21-13, 21-9 decision to Jianna Bonomi & Katarina Schulz.
New Mexico did have a shot at scoring a point on the top-seeded court, where House & Kelsey rebounded from a first-set loss with a strong second set to force a decisive third set. But the Wildcats’ talented top pair of Madison Witt & McKenna Witt prevailed in the end, winning 21-9, 18-21, 15-12.
“Our number ones played really well against one of the best teams in the country and took it to three,” Nelson said.
In the exhibition match, Arizona’s Tyler Lucas & Nikki Attea defeated Jackie Baro & Allie Askew 21-11, 21-11.