TUCSON, Ariz. — The University of New Mexico beach volleyball team split its slate of matches Friday as it opened the Wildcat Spring Challenge with a 5-0 sweep of CSU Bakersfield and a 4-1 loss to No. 8/8 Arizona.
New Mexico (7-9) opened the two-day event at the Arizona Beach Volleyball Courts in Tucson with some solid results, turning away the Roadrunners (0-10) before picking up a point in a defeat to the host Wildcats (9-6).
“I was really happy with the way we came out vs. Bakersfield,” UNM head coach Jeff Nelson said. “We jumped quick and stayed focused throughout the matches. It was a very good match for everyone.”
The Lobos started the second half of their season strongly against CSU Bakersfield, and showed well vs. Arizona as they continued their trend of playing highly-ranked teams.
This weekend is the fifth (out of all five so far this season) to feature at least one ranked opponent for UNM.
“In the second match vs. Arizona we came out quick again but fell behind late in the games,” Nelson said. “It is tough vs. a program like Arizona that is playing beach year around.”
But, behind a scoring effort from Julia Warren & Lauren Twitty vs. Arizona, New Mexico staved off the sweep. Despite its record against ranked teams, the Lobos have yet to be swept.
In fact, with its win vs. CSUB, New Mexico has now registered six sweeps, just one shy from its number of 5-0 wins from all of last season.
The Lobos return to action tomorrow with a single match vs. Santa Clara at 1 p.m. MT. Live scoring will be provided at Lobos.StatBroadcast.com.
New Mexico 5, CSU Bakersfield
The Lobos kicked off the day against CSU Bakersfield, a foe that they’ve faced off against every season over the three years they’ve been playing beach volleyball.
But, unlike the first two matchups — a 3-2 CSUB win in 2015 and a 4-1 UNM win last season in Tucson — this tilt was decidedly more one-sided.
New Mexico jumped all over the Roadrunners, earning the sweep as every court won in two sets. It’s the six time this season (out of six) that UNM swept a match with every court winning in straight sets.
The Lobos earned a team point within minutes of the dual starting, as Chloe Crappell & Victoria Spragg won the No. 4 court over Emily Lopes & Mattison DeGarmo after the CSUB duo collided head-to-head on the first point and were forced to retire.
With a point already secured, New Mexico quickly continued to build on its lead, jumping to big leads on CSUB.
On the No. 1 court, UNM’s Cassie House & Ashley Kelsey dispatched the ‘Runners’ Carol Grasso & Sara Little 21-7, 21-13. After playing almost every set exceptionally close to open the season, Friday’s two set wins were the eighth and ninth time that House & Kelsey won a set by at least eight points in the last two weekends of play.
Eastyn Baleto & Marisa Doran were the next to finish, adding a 21-10, 21-13 win over Sarah Garrow & Ashley Prater on the No. 3 court to clinch the dual. That win was the sixth straight for the duo at the time.
Warren & Twitty won the 5’s court via a 21-8, 21-15 victory over Hannah Manzanares & Ally Barber, while Devanne Sours & Lise Rugland sealed the sweep on the 2’s court with a 21-15, 21-12 win over Jocelyn Rodriguez & Madi Busler.
Sours’ win was her 30th in her career, joining Baleto (42 wins), Warren (38), Doran (34) and Rugland (32) as Lobos with 30 career wins. .
Arizona 4, New Mexico 1
In the sixth-ever matchup against the Wildcats – the most against a single team in program history – the Lobos gave their neighbors a solid fight.
But Arizona finished off the season series vs. UNM with another 4-1 win after winning by the same score in Tempe three weeks ago.
However, New Mexico continued to show well against ranked opponents, capturing a point and pushing for more on Friday.
“We competed well in every spot but just couldn’t turn the scores,” Nelson said.
Warren & Twitty combined to score for the Lobos, notching a three-set win on the 5’s court as they defeated Brooke Burling & Halli Amaro 21-15, 16-21, 15-10. It’s the duo’s fourth three-set win this season, with all coming against ranked teams. They’re 9-5 on the season, the second-most wins on the team this season.
“Julia and Lauren played very well and scored our one point,” Nelson said. “It was nice to see them turn around a loss from the last time we played Arizona. They had a great week of practice and have been playing good ball.”
Elsewhere, New Mexico struggled to score, falling in two sets on the other four courts.
On the No. 1 courts, House & Kelsey dropped a 21-13, 21-17 decision to Madison Witt & McKenna Witt, while Sours & Rugland lost 21-16, 21-16 to Olivia Hallaran & Olivia Macdonald on the No. 2 court.
Doran & Baleto fell 21-12, 21-16 to Hailey Devlin & Sam Manley on the 3’s court, with Crappell & Spragg suffering a 21-17, 21-16 setback to Mia Mason & Kendra Dahlke on the 4’s court.
New Mexico 5, CSU Bakersfield 0
1. Ashley Kelsey & Cassie House (UNM) def. Carol Grasso & Sara Little (CSUB) 21-7, 21-13
2. Devanne Sours & Lise Rugland (UNM) def. Jocelyn Rodriguez & Madi Busler (CSUB) 21-15, 21-12
3. Eastyn Baleto & Marisa Doran (UNM) def. Sarah Garrow & Ashley Prater (CSUB) 21-10, 21-13
4. Victoria Spragg & Chloe Crappell (UNM) def. Emily Lopes & Mattison DeGarmo (CSUB) 1-0, retired
5. Julia Warren & Lauren Twitty (UNM) def. Hannah Manzanares & Ally Barber (CSUB) 21-8, 21-15
Order of Finish: 4, 1, 3*, 5, 2
*Clinched dual win
Arizona 4, New Mexico 1
1. Madison Witt & McKenna Witt (ARIZ) def. Ashley Kelsey & Cassie House (UNM) 21-13, 21-17
2. Olivia Hallaran & Olivia Macdonald (ARIZ) def. Devanne Sours & Lise Rugland (UNM) 21-16, 21-16
3. Hailey Devlin & Sam Manley (ARIZ) def. Eastyn Baleto & Marisa Doran (UNM) 21-12, 21-16
4. Mia Mason & Kendra Dahlke (ARIZ) def. Chloe Crappell & Victoria Spragg (UNM) 21-17, 21-16
5. Julia Warren & Lauren Twitty (UNM) def. Brooke Burling & Halli Amaro (ARIZ) 21-15, 16-21, 15-10
Order of Finish: 1, 4, 2*, 3, 5
*Cinched dual win
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