AMES, Iowa — These Lobos may be young, but there’s no doubting their talent.
The University of New Mexico volleyball team kicked off its 2017 season with a win, relying on strong defense and veteran leadership en route to a straight-set sweep of Nebraska Omaha on Friday afternoon.
Behind 25 digs by senior Ashley Kelsey and a double-double by sophomore Lauren Twitty, the youthful Lobos (1-0) held off the Mavericks (0-1) 25-21- 25-17, 25-20 in both teams’ opener at the Cyclone Invitational in Ames.
“It was a good start for us today,” UNM head coach Jeff Nelson said. “I thought we came out a little nervous, but I expected that. But we worked through that.”
Despite fielding a roster that featured more freshmen than returners, the Lobos managed to dispatch Omaha in their 11th-straight season-opening win under Nelson.
UNM has never lost a season opener with Nelson as coach.
“With such a young group, there were some nerves and, certainly, we were concerned with how they would come out,” Nelson said. “We knew they could play good ball and they did in the end.”
Kelsey, the team’s lone senior, paced the way with her superb floor defense. Her 25 digs are the most by a player in a three-set match in four years, and helped New Mexico’s efforts at the defensive end.
The Lobos open their season with a win, sweeping Nebraska Omaha in straight sets at the Cyclone Invite! #GoLobos #UNMatched pic.twitter.com/kDthDT9C3o
— New Mexico Volleyball (@UNMLoboVB) August 25, 2017
Along with 55 digs a team, the Lobos logged nine blocks on the match, with Mariessa Carrasco (five blocks) and Victoria Spragg (four blocks) leading the team.
New Mexico held Omaha to a .134 hitting percentage, as the Mavericks compiled 23 attack errors under the Lobos’ defense. All together, UNO finished with 42 total errors in the contest.
Offensively, the Twitty finished in a tie for the game high in kills, registering 11 kills (on a .321 hitting percentage) to go along with 10 digs. Freshmen Hailey Rubino finished with six kills, 10 digs and a game-high two service aces.
Carrasco (seven kills, .375 attack percentage), Spragg (five, .400) and Carly Beddingfield (four kills) also contributed offensively. Carson Heilborn finished with a match-best 29 assists.
The match began with Omaha taking an early 10-5 lead, but New Mexico managed to draw to within one point at 13-12. The Lobos then translated a 6-2 run into a 18-16 lead, their first of the set. After a 3-0 spurt by the Mavericks, UNM closed out the set scoring seven of the final nine points for a 25-21 win.
Five Lobos had a least a pair of kills in the opening frame, led by Twitty’s three. UNM also opened well in the blocking department, shutting down three UNO shots.
The second set started off evenly, with 10 ties through 24 serves. However, the Lobos broke the continual stalemate with an 8-0 streak, taking a 19-12 lead that they would not relinquish.
Omaha would get no closer than six points the remainder of the set as New Mexico cruised to a 25-17 win. Twitty notched six of her 11 kills in the second set, while the Lobos tallied three aces.
After a short intermission, New Mexico continued to apply pressure, claiming a 6-2 lead. The Mavericks would draw to within one point at 7-6 before eventually knotting the set at 13-all, but five straight points for UNM proved to be the difference.
The Lobos would scored four of the final six points of the set to win the final stanza 25-20. New Mexico would receive a pair of kills from Twitty, Rubino and Carrasco, but the Lobos’ defense stifled Omaha as UNO hit just .024 (12-11-42) in the set.
New Mexico returns to action Saturday, taking on Kent State at 9 a.m. MT before playing tournament host Iowa State at 5:30 p.m. MT.
Fans can follow @UNMLoboVB on Twitter and Instagram for information and updates on the team!