Twitty's 25 Kills Power UNM to Sweep of Wyoming

LARAMIE, Wyo. — The Lobos had never started Mountain West play 0-2 under 11-year head coach Jeff Nelson.

They weren’t going to snap that streak on Saturday.

Behind a career-best 25 kills from sophomore outside hitter Lauren Twitty, the University of New Mexico volleyball team captured its first league win of the season, sweeping Wyoming in straight sets to cap its first week of Mountain West play.

After falling to No. 23 Colorado State on Thursday, the Twitty-led Lobos (9-5 overall, 1-1 MW) rebounded emphatically Saturday inside the UniWyo Sports Complex, topping the Cowgirls (6-8, 1-1) by set scores of 25-23, 25-21, 25-22.

“I think that we all came in with a really positive attitude and a clear head,” Twitty said. “We wanted to limit the stress on the court and remain in control and I think we did that throughout the match.”

With Twitty firing off kills seemingly at will, the Lobos effectively held off a talented Wyoming squad in a raucous environment as they put together one of their best team performances of the season.

Twitty’s career-best 25 kills powered New Mexico to the sweep, as she collected half of the team’s kills on a career-high .442 attack percentage (25 kills, two errors, 52 attempts).

“Lauren’s capable of that,” Nelson said. “She’s a big-time player. Really, the only time she gets stopped is when she stops herself. She had a great match against Colorado State on Thursday night in a losing effort and another great match today.”

Lauren Twitty’s career-high 25 kills lead New Mexico to a 3-0 sweep of Wyoming in Laramie! #GoLobos #UNMatched pic.twitter.com/iwYlaM6Z0I

— New Mexico Volleyball (@UNMLoboVB) September 23, 2017

According to available records, her 25 kills are the most in a three-set match in program history, and set the program record for the most kills during the 25-point, rally-scoring era (2008 to present).

Twitty also posted the most kills in the MW in a three-set match this season. Her 25 kills in a three-set match are the most since Boise State’s Sierra Nobley had 25 vs. Utah State in 2015.

“I just wanted to use the momentum that we had and just keep the ball hgh,” Twitty said of her performance.

Victoria Spragg (nine kills, .375 hitting percentage), Mariessa Carrasco (seven, .462) and Carly Beddingfield (five, .300) all helped contribute offensively, as New Mexico hit .355 (50 kills, 11 errors, 110 attempts) on the match.

Carson Heilborn, returning for the first time to the venue where she tore her ACL last fall, dished out 40 assists to key the team’s outstanding offensive effort.

“I think Carson had a great performance despite what happened last year,” Twitty said. “I think that she really mentally pushed through this game.”

Defensively, the Lobos also shined, out-blocking (seven to six) and out-digging (47 to 40) Wyoming.

Twitty logged 10 digs for her sixth double-double of the season, while Hailey Rubino — in her first action in five matches after injuring her foot on September 8 vs. Portland — added 10 digs of her own. Libero Ashley Kelsey chipped in nine digs.

Spragg (four blocks), Twitty (three) and Beddingfield (three) all contributed to New Mexico’s advantage at the net.

“When you look at the box score, it’s the kind you want,” Nelson said. “We won the hitting game, we won the digs, and we won the blocking. You’re going to win matches when you do that.”

The Lobos opened the match well, jumping out to a 6-1 lead behind two Twitty kills and four Wyoming errors. However, after taking a timeout, the Cowgirls scored 11 of the next 16 points to claim a 12-11 lead.

Neither team would exert more than a three-point lead for the rest of the set, with Wyoming even cutting the UNM lead to one point at at 24-23. But Carrasco scored a final kill to win the set 25-23 for New Mexico.

Twitty registered 10 of her kills in the opening frame as UNM hit .375 (15-3-32) in the set.

The second stanza opened more evenly, with both teams trading points early. New Mexico would take an 11-9 lead, but a 6-0 run put UW up 15-11. However, the Lobos answered with an 8-2 spurt to retake the lead for good at 19-17.

Wyoming would again make things interesting late, coming to within two points at 23-21, but Twitty would have none of that as she launched two more kills to win the set 25-21.

Twitty matched her first-set showing with 10 more kills in the second set. She equaled her previous career high of 20 kills (set last Saturday in a four-set win over Tennessee Tech) by intermission.

Coming out of the break, neither team yielded, dueling to a 10-9 New Mexico lead through the opening handful of serves. But the Lobos would translate a 4-0 run into a 14-9 lead, hanging on for a 25-22 win.

Wyoming would manage to come to within two points multiple times, even tying the set at 22 after reeling off a 5-1 run. But a Carrasco kill and back-to-back Lobo blocks sealed the deal.

Twitty (five kills), Spragg (four) and Carrasco (four) all clicked in the set as the Lobos earned their first road win in Laramie since 2014.

The sweep of Wyoming in Laramie was also the first road sweep by UNM in the series since 2010.

“Every time Wyoming came at us, we answered it and got back on top,” Nelson said. “I just thought we did a really great job. … I think it’s the best we’ve played up here in the 11 years I’ve been here.”

The Lobos return to action on Thursday as they welcome 2016 Mountain West champions Boise State for a 7 p.m. MT match in Johnson Center.

NOTES: Twitty’s 25 kills are the most in any match for New Mexico since Julia Warren had 28 vs. Utah State last November … Twitty’s performance is tied for the sixth-most in a match during the 25-point, rally-scoring era

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