|
|||||||||||||
Saturday • 12 p.m. MTWith just four matches left in the 2016 season, the University of New Mexico volleyball team is aiming to return to its winning ways as it welcomes Utah State to Johnson Center at 12 p.m. MT on Saturday for its only match of the week.
Due to the Mountain West’s unbalanced scheduling, the Lobos (14-14, 4-10 MW) are playing just once this week, but it’s a key matchup as they look to even the season series against the Aggies (11-15, 6-9 MW) after dropping the first meeting between these teams on October 13.
“I feel like our players are looking forward to it,” 10th-year New Mexico head coach Jeff Nelson said. “They feel like they didn’t do their best [in the first meeting this year]. It was a tough night and I definitely feel like there’s some revenge on their minds.”
Although there are just four more matches remaining in the season, the Lobos still have things to play for, including a winning season.
UNM had chances last week as they took a three-game win streak on the road to Wyoming and Colorado State, but the Lobos fell in both matches to two of the top teams in the league.
However, New Mexico has been playing some of its best volleyball over the last three weeks, and looks to translate that to some more wins on the homestretch.
“I thought [the CSU match] was as good of a volleyball match as we’ve been involved in all year,” Nelson said. “We lost it in five, but in late in game four, we were tied 21-all leading 2-1. … As depleted as we are and the way things are going, I was really, really proud of the way the girls stepped up and played.”
 |
|
| Julia Warren |
All four of the Lobos’ remaining games are against the four teams ranked above them in the Mountain West standings, with Utah State one slot above the eighth-place Lobos.
A win this week would help close the gap between New Mexico and USU, bringing UNM a game back of the Aggies and potentially sixth-place San Diego State (14-14, 6-8 MW). The Lobos close their home slate November 19 vs. the Aztecs.
But this week’s focus is solely on the Aggies as the Lobos play their penultimate home game of the 2016 campaign.
In the final weeks of their careers, New Mexico’s three senior outside hitters need to be the catalyst for a strong finish.
After Devanne Sours paced New Mexico to a three-game win streak entering last week, it was Julia Warren that carried the team vs. Wyoming and Colorado State.
Warren, who is continuing to mend after injuring her knee in September, posted team highs in kills in both of UNM’s matches last week.
“Julia Warren has been playing really well,” Nelson said. “Knee brace and all, she’s been tearing it up for us and doing a great job.”
Sours and Cassie House have also contributed significantly this season. All three senior pinhitters are continuing to rewrite the UNM record books, with Warren (fifth in career digs), House (sixth in career attempts, ninth in kills and 10th in points) and Sours (eighth in career attempts) all moving up the ranks.
“I think the seniors will battle going out,” Nelson said. “And if the other kids do their roles, I think we can have a lot of success these last few weeks.”
A pair of redshirt juniors, libero Ashley Kelsey and setter Lise Rugland, have also been key players lately.
Kelsey currently owns the sixth-best single-season total in digs with 449 digs, while Rugland has taken over the setting duties and given the Lobos’ offense a measure of consistency.
On the other side of the net, Utah State is also looking to close strong.
The Aggies are only 11-15 on the season and 6-9 in Mountain West play, but they’ve made some noise in the league this season. Utah State swept its season series against Nevada and Air Force, and has picked up wins over the Lobos and San Diego State.
Although UNM had dominated the series, winning 16 of the last 18 matches between the two schools, Utah State won the last meeting, a 3-1 win in Logan. The Lobos last lost to the Aggies in Albuquerque in 2006, and are 8-2 all-time against Utah State in the Duke City.
Fans can follow @UNMVolley on Twitter and Instagram for information and updates on the team!