TEMPE, Ariz. — University of New Mexico beach volleyball team split its final road trip of the season on Friday, falling to No. 19 Arizona State 4-1 before rebounding with a 3-2 victory over No. 20 California.
Despite seeing their seven-match win streak snapped in their first match of the day vs. the Sun Devils (13-14), the Lobos (15-10) captured their first win this season over a ranked team in their triumph over the Bears (13-8).
“I am really happy for our team finally getting that win over a ranked team this season,” New Mexico head coach Jeff Nelson said. “We have been in several tight matches and really just pulled out a couple good wins the past two weeks.”
During April, the Lobos had been rolling, surging to seven wins a row. And while that run was halted by Arizona State at the PERA Club in Tempe, New Mexico has still claimed 10 wins in its last 12 matches with its win over Cal.
Friday’s performances highlighted the Lobos’ growing toughness, as they dealt with some adversity on the road.
“It’s good to have them rally after a disappointing loss to get a great win,” Nelson said. “It was a team effort today in both matches with key players struggling with health issues.”
The Lobos will have a short turnaround as they close out their season on Saturday. New Mexico will host Air Force for a doubleheader at Lucky 66 Bowl in Albuquerque, playing at 10 a.m. MT and 1 p.m. MT.
No. 19 Arizona 4, New Mexico 1
New Mexico opened Friday’s action against Arizona State, playing its sixth-ever match against the Sun Devils.
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| Marisa Doran |
And while one streak ended for the Lobos in the first match of the day, one UNM duo managed to continue another.
Julia Warren & Lauren Twitty extended their winning streak to nine straight matches with a come-from-behind win over Kwyn Johnson & Sydney Palmer on the No. 5 court.
Warren & Twitty put New Mexico on the board during the first flight of courts as they won 20-22, 21-16, 15-12 vs. ASU. The duo rallied after a close first-set loss to register their sixth three-set win this season.
Their nine wins in a row is good for the second-longest pairs winning streak in program history, while their six three-set wins are the most by a pair in a single season.
However, outside of their streaking No. 5 tandem, the Lobos were unable to score against the Sun Devils.
On the 4’s court, Arizona State tallied the first point of the match, where UNM’s Victoria Spragg & Chloe Crappell fell 21-14, 21-12 to Mia Rivera & Cassidy Pickrell.
After the switch to the top flight of courts, New Mexico put up some strong fights, including a valiant three-set battle on the top-seeded court.
Cassie House & Ashley Kelsey almost nabbed a point on the No. 1 court, but came just short vs. Bianca Arellano & Whitney Follette, falling 21-19, 17-21, 17-15.
At the No. 2 position, Devanne Sours & Lise Rugland fell 21-16, 21-18 to Oluoma Okaro & Madison Berridge, while Marisa Doran & Eastyn Baleto fell 21-17, 21-16 to Katelyn Carballo & Ellyson Lundberg on the No. 3 court.
New Mexico 3, No. 20 California 2
Just moments after finishing up vs. Arizona State, the Lobos returned to the white sands of the PERA Club for a showdown with the 20th-ranked Cal Bears.
Just the second meeting between the two schools, New Mexico picked up just its first win over a ranked team this year.
The Lobos struck first in the dual, as Doran & Baleto claimed a straight-set sweep of Iya Lindahl & Nicole Anderson on the No. 4 court, winning 21-16, 21-18. With the victory, the pairing moved to 17-7 on the season, having won 12 of their last 15 matches.
Doran also earned her 40th career win, becoming just one of three Lobos — along with Baleto (49 wins) and Warren (45) — to reach that plateau.
However, Cal responded with a three-set victory on the No. 5 court, where Warren & Spragg fell 21-19, 10-21, 15-13 to Bridget Gustafson & Teya Neff. For Warren, it was her first setback since March 18, snapping a run of 10 straight wins.
New Mexico regained the lead in the dual after switching to the second flight, as House & Kelsey notched a 23-21, 21-19 win over Jessica Gaffney & MIa Merino on the No. 1 court.
House & Kelsey moved to 15-10 on the season with nine wins in their last 12 matches.
Cal then scored another equalizer on the No. 3 court, where Crappell & Carly Beddingfield dropped a 21-15, 22-20 decision to Camille Stepanof & Bryce Bark.
With the dual all tied at two sets apiece, the match came down to the No. 2 court and Sours & Rugland. The Lobo partnership came through, dispatching Cal’s Grace Campbell & Olivia Rodberg 21-15, 21-16.
Rugland & Sours now own an 18-7 record this season.
Arizona State 4, New Mexico 1
1. Bianca Arellano & Whitney Follette (ASU) def. Cassie House & Ashley Kelsey (UNM) 21-19, 17-21, 17-15
2. Oluoma Okaro & Madison Berridge (ASU) def. Devanne Sours & Lise Rugland (UNM) 21-16, 21-18
3. Katelyn Carballo & Ellyson Lundberg (ASU) def. Marisa Doran & Eastyn Baleto (UNM) 21-17, 21-16
4. Mia Rivera & Cassidy Pickrell (ASU) def. Victoria Spragg & Chloe Crappell (UNM) 21-14, 21-12
5. Julia Warren & Lauren Twitty (UNM) def. Kwyn Johnson & Sydney Palmer (ASU) 20-22, 21-16, 15-12
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 3*, 2, 1
*Clinched dual win
New Mexico 3, California 2
1. Cassie House & Ashley Kelsey (UNM) def. Jessica Gaffney & MIa Merino (Cal) 23-21, 21-19
2. Devanne Sours & Lise Rugland (UNM) def. Grace Campbell & Olivia Rodberg (Cal) 21-15, 21-16
3. Camille Stepanof & Bryce Bark (Cal) def. Carly Beddingfield & Chloe Crappell (UNM) 21-15, 22-20
4. Eastyn Baleto & Marisa Doran (UNM) def. Iya Lindahl & Nicole Anderson (Cal) 21-16, 21-18
5. Bridget Gustafson & Teya Neff (Cal) def. Victoria Spragg & Julia Warren (UNM) 21-19, 10-21, 15-13
Order of Finish: 4, 5, 1, 3, 2*
*Cinched dual win
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