Complete Scores | Nelson Inteview
TEMPE, Ariz. — The University of New Mexico beach volleyball team battled in both of its matches Saturday, but couldn’t pull out the victories as it fell 3-2 to No. 17 South Carolina and 4-1 to No. 6 Florida State.
Although New Mexico (2-2) couldn’t get by either nationally ranked team, a number of Lobos posted strong performances as they continued to open up the program’s second season at the Sun Devil Challenge at the PERA Club.
“Today we hopefully learned a lot,” head coach Jeff Nelson said. “I think we’re playing really good ball most of the time. We got a little emotional and let a match get away from us this afternoon, but other than that, I think it’s really good.”
After Friday’s victory over an Arizona State team that entered the weekend receiving votes in DiG Magazine’s Preseason Poll, the Lobos came close to capturing their first ever win against a ranked team.
But UNM couldn’t equal South Carolina (2-2) in the late stages of Saturday’s first match, and Florida State’s (4-0) experience — it’s the Seminoles’ fifth beach season — proved enough.
However, for a program that last year played inconsistently versus good teams, New Mexico has shown it belongs among the nation’s top squads.
“We’re just more competitive and playing much better ball than in any other point in this program’s history so far,” Nelson said. “… We have to keep that going and not get worried about having a little mental breakdown today.”
The Lobos, who finished the Sun Devil Challenge Saturday, will get a chance to rebound on Sunday as they wrap up their opening weekend vs. California in Phoenix.
Match 1: No. 17 South Carolina 3, New Mexico 2
They Lobos really couldn’t have asked for a better start against the Gamecocks from Columbia, S.C.
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The pairs of Eastyn Baleto & Marisa Doran and Maddie Mayfield & Carson Heilborn both gave New Mexico wins on courts four and five, respectively, providing UNM a 2-0 lead before the top three courts even started.
The Lobos, however, didn’t play as cohesively after the switch to the top flight, letting leads slip away as South Carolina mounted the comeback to win 3-2.
“We had the South Carolina match won,” Nelson said. “We went into the split at 2-0 and had leads on both the 2 and 3 court and let them go. To South Carolina’s credit, they battled back, played hard and really worked as a team.”
Mayfield & Heilborn got UNM on the board first with a 21-18, 21-11 win over South Carolina’s Darian Dozier & Lista Darby. Baleto & Doran followed that with a tight 21-19, 21-19 victory over Jade Vitt & Katie McCormick.
But UNM’s Hannah Johnson & Julia Warren fell victim to a pair of close sets on the No. 3 court, falling 21-19, 21-19 to Macie Tendrich & Katie Reilly.
The Lobos’ top tandem of Lisa Rugland & Cassie House also fell, losing 21-17, 21-17 to the Gamecocks’ Shannon WIlliams & Julia Mannisto.
Despite allowing South Carolina to even the score, New Mexico still had a shot to salvage the win, as Devanne Sours & Ashley Kelsey forced a decisive third set on the No. 2 court. But South Carolina’s Aubrey Ezell & Sarah Blomgren managed to win late, claiming the court and the match 21-19, 18-21, 15-11.
“I think we got too comfortable,” Nelson said. “We had such a big lead and had big leads in the game and I think we just got too comfortable and let it get away from us instead of keeping our eyes on the prize and finishing. Being this young team, it’s something we have to learn.”
In an exhibition match, Allie Askew & Chloe Crappell lost 21-17, 21-15 to Delaney Wood & Erin Neuenfeldt.
Match 2: No. 6 Florida State 4, New Mexico 1
The Lobos had little time to stew over their loss to South Carolina, as their match against the Seminoles started minutes after finishing vs. the Gamecocks.
But Baleto & Doran kept their success going against Florida State, a team with tremendous beach volleyball pedigree.
The duo scored a dramatic 16-21, 21-14, 18-16 win over the Seminoles’ Annie Montgomery & Kayla Joyce, staving off three match points in the third set for the come-from-behind victory.
“I thought we came back against Florida State and played pretty well,” Nelson said. “We got a point against a top-five team. They have been to the national championships all the first four years, so they have a big head start on us.”
Baleto & Doran’s victory was just the third yielded by FSU all season, and helped the duo extend their winning streak to four matches to open the season.
“I think they had a really good day,” Nelson said of the pair. “… They played really good volleyball. They passed well, they hit a lot of good shots. I thought they worked really well together as a team. I think they’re going to win a lot of matches for us this year.”
New Mexico fought well on other courts, as well, with House & Rugland posting a valiant effort against Kristina Pelletteri & VIctoria Paranagua on the No. 2 court, falling 21-18, 21-16.
Elsewhere, Mayfield & Heilborn fell 21-14, 21-13 to Blyss Harkness & Hailey Luke on the No. 5 court, while Johnson & Warren fell 21-10, 21-13 to Vanessa Fiere & Sierra Sanchez.
Moved up a slot after their close showing vs. South Carolina, Sours & Kelsey battled FSU’s top-seeded pair of Jace Pardon & Julie Brown, losing 21-16, 21-12.
Askew & Jackie Baro also fell on the exhibition court to Macy Serger & Brooke Kuhlman, 21-14, 21-7.