ARLINGTON, Texas — The University of New Mexico volleyball team rode strong serving and blocking to a 3-1 victory over Houston Baptist Friday afternoon as it opened the UT Arlington Invitational.
Behind a season-high 12 service aces and 14 total blocks, the Lobos (7-3) rallied from a set down to upend the Huskies (8-5), winning Friday’s matinee at College Park Center in Arlington 21-25, 25-16, 27-25, 25-19.
“We served very aggressive and did a great job with our blocking late in the match,” 10th-year head coach Jeff Nelson said. “We didn’t play our best but did what we needed to get the win.”
Although Houston Baptist registered more kills, assists and digs than New Mexico, the Lobos’ tough serving and blocking proved to be the difference.
The Lobos racked up a dozen aces, their most since notching 12 against Southern on August 24, 2012, and tallied 14 blocks, their most since posting 16 in last year’s finale vs. Air Force.
UNM also hit better, registering a .157 attack percentage, with 36 kills and 17 errors on 121 attempts. HBU hit .134, with more kills (52), errors (34) and attempts (134).
Julia Warren and Ashley Kelsey paced the Lobos’ efforts serving with three aces each, while Carson Heilborn added two aces of her own. Victoria Spragg stuffed a career-high nine blocks to power UNM’s advantage at the net.
“Vic blocked very well and Julia and AK served tough,” Nelson said.
Cassie House led New Mexico’s offense with 11 kills, adding six blocks. Warren chipped in nine kills and 12 digs to go along with her trio of successive aces, while Devanne Sours totaled six kills.
Heilborn dished out 28 assists, while Kelsey nabbed 10 digs.
New Mexico and Houston Baptist opened the match evenly, fighting to seven ties through 16 serves. HBU would post a 6-1 run to take a 14-9 lead, but UNM fought back to knot the set at 16-all.
The Huskies would retake the lead, however, and scored the final three points of the set to win 25-21.
Sours and Warren each had three errorless kills for UNM in the opening frame, but Houston Baptist’s offense was clicking early as they hit .367 in set one. Comparatively, New Mexico hit .219.
The Lobos came out hotter in the second set, racing to an 11-6 lead as Sours scored three straight points via two kills and an ace. HBU would get to within four points at 16-12, but UNM scored nine of the last 13 points — including three straight Warren aces — to win the second stanza 25-16.
Set two was highlighted by a strong all-around statline by Warren, as she registered two kills and five digs to go along with her aces. Sours, Spragg and House also recorded a pair of kills in the set.
New Mexico maintained its momentum heading into the third set, bolting to an 8-2 lead. But Houston Baptist would score seven-straight points to claim a 9-8 lead, sparking a back-and-forth battle.
After six ties, the Lobos finally gain some separation at 16-14, and they extended their lead to 21-17 via kills by House and Mariessa Carrasco. However, HBU wouldn’t yield, earning the first set point at 24-23. UNM would regain composure late, posting a set-clinching 4-1 run to win 27-25.
House notched four of her kills in the third set, as New Mexico started to exert its advantage at the net with four blocks.
Set four saw Houston Baptist take the early lead at 6-3, before UNM stormed back to take an 11-10 lead. After trading points, the Lobos scored five straight to go up 18-14, a lead they would not surrender.
The Huskies would get no closer than three points the rest of the way as UNM capitalized on nine straight HBU errors to win the final set 25-19. UNM tallied eight blocks in the fourth set, two more than HBU had the entire match.
The Lobos return to action later Friday night as they take on tournament host UT Arlington at 6 p.m. MT.