New Mexico Drops Friday Slate at Hickory Point Lake Bash
TAVARES, Fla. — The University of New Mexico beach volleyball team battled against top competition on Friday but dropped three closely contest matches as it opened the two-day Hickory Point Lake Bash.
The Lobos (2-7) didn’t shy away from their stacked Friday slate at Hickory Point Beach in Tavares, Florida, but they ultimately came up just short against Houston Baptist (6-5), No. 15/18 Stetson (8-5) and No. 14/13 Florida International (7-5)
UNM lost 4-1 to the host Hatters and 3-2 to both the Huskies and the Panthers.
However, despite the losses, the Lobos continued to show well with a young roster. Facing off against another group of teams either ranked or receiving votes in the national polls, UNM was able to put up solid numbers with its five newcomers.
It’s the third straight week to open the season that New Mexico — which is receiving votes in the DiG Magazine Poll and the AVCA Coaches Poll — has played ranked teams.
The Lobos’ matches vs. Stetson and FIU served as the team’s fifth and sixth matches this season against top-20 teams.
Over the first four years of the program, UNM has played six ranked teams in its first nine matches in three different seasons.
The Lobos will get another chance to take on some strong competition as they wrap up the event on Saturday vs. UNC Wilmington at 9 a.m. MT and the College of Charleston (who’s receiving votes in both polls) at 1 p.m. MT.
Houston Baptist 3, New Mexico 2
New Mexico opened Friday’s docket with an early matchup with Houston Baptist, taking the sand at 8 a.m. MT/10 a.m. ET.
And, despite racing the sunrise in their weekend opener, the Lobos fared well, but couldn’t close out a couple of key points as the Huskies won 3-2.
UNM struck first in the dual behind the duo of Carly Beddingfield & Abbey Willison, as they defeated HBU’s Danielle Wheeler & Mikayla Vivens 21-18, 21-15 on the No. 4 court.
But the Huskies evened the match moments later on the No. 5 court as the Lobos’ Emily Nenninger & Kayla Long fell in a three-set battle to Kali Fluke & Brennan Miller by a score of 21-15, 18-21, 16-14.
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Eastyn Baleto & Lauren Twitty put New Mexico back up by a point with a 21-14, 21-16 win over Houston Baptist’s Bailey Banks & Katya Silveira on the 3’s court, but that was as far as the Lobos would get on the scoreboard.
The Huskies claimed the final two points of the dual in the top two positions, fighting off UNM in three sets on the top-seeded court.
On the No. 2 court, New Mexico’s Chloe Crappell & Yasmin Tan dropped a 21-8, 21-13 contest to HBU’s Kayla Armer & Tori Hinojosa, while the Lobos’ top-ranked tandem of Maddie Irwin & Erin Martin fell in a three-set heartbreaker, 18-21, 21-18, 15-11, to the Huskies’ Jessica Wooten & Aeriel Horton.
Stetson 4, New Mexico 1
The Lobos didn’t have much time to dwell on their setback to Houston Baptist, turning around to play tournament host Stetson right after finishing vs. the Huskies.
A rematch of a match played at the 2017 edition of this tournament, New Mexico managed to put up some good scores against the Hatters, who won the ASUN regular-season and tournament titles last spring.
But Stetson, ranked 15th in the DiG Magazine poll and 18th in the AVCA Coaches Poll, proved to be a tough challenge for UNM, earning the 4-1 win.
The Hatters opened the scoring on the No. 5 court, as Nenninger & Long lost 21-10, 21-8 to Rebecca Ingram & Quinci Birker. UNM also dropped the No. 4 court, as Beddingfield & Willison battled in a 21-10, 20-22, 15-5 loss to Lauren Durham & Julie Varga.
However, the Lobos refused to yield behind Baleto & Twitty, as the pair captured a win the 3’s court, defeating Stetson’s Samantha Harris & Rachel Noble 26-24, 21-16.
New Mexico also gave the Hatters some serious competition at the 1’s and 2’s.
On the No. 2 court, Crappell & Tan dropped a marathon first set 33-31 to Stetson’s Darby Dunn & Sammee Thomas, and eventually fell 21-16 in the second frame.
Additionally, after falling 21-19 in set one, Irwin & Martin managed to equalize their contest in the No. 1 position with 25-23 victory, but they dropped the decisive third set 15-8.
Florida International 3, New Mexico 2
After a short break, New Mexico was back in the sand, facing off against a talented Florida International team.
And, while the Lobos dropped the contest 3-2, they gave the Panthers a run for their money, capturing wins at the 2’s and 3’s.
Moved up a spot to the No. 2 position, Baleto & Twitty paired up for their third win of the day as they topped the Panthers’ Dorina Klinger & Erika Zembyla by a score of 21-15, 24-22.
They improve to 4-2 as a pair this season, with Baleto moving to a team-best 6-3 on the year.
Tan also earned her first career win, as she and Crappell knocked off the FIU duo of Anabela Sataric & Helene Thelle 21-19, 22-20.
However, the Lobos couldn’t push for any more points in the dual, losing in straight sets on the other three courts.
At the No. 1 spot, Irwin & Martin fell 23-21, 21-13 to Federica Frasca & Margherita Bianchin, while Beddingfield & Long dropped a 21-14, 21-19 decision to Taija Thomas & Mariana Dal Pozzo on the No. 5 court.
Long also teamed up with Mercedes Pacheco on the No. 4 court, but they lost 21-15, 21-12 to Natalia Giron & Estefanie Bethancourt.
Houston Baptist 3, New Mexico 2
1. Jessica Wooten & Aeriel Horton (HBU) def. Maddie Irwin & Erin Martin (UNM) 18-21, 21-18, 15-11
2. Kayla Armer & Tori Hinojosa (HBU) def. Chloe Crappell & Yasmin Tan (UNM) 21-8, 21-13
3. Eastyn Baleto & Lauren Twitty (UNM) def. Bailey Banks & Katya Silveira (HBU) 21-14, 21-16
4. Carly Beddingfield & Abbey Willison (UNM) def. Danielle Wheeler & Mikayla Vivens (HBU) 21-18, 21-15
5. Kali Fluke & Brennan Miller (HBU) def. Emily Nenninger & Kayla Long (UNM) 21-15, 18-21, 16-14
Order of Finish: 4, 5, 3, 2, 1*
*Clinched dual win
No. 15/18 Stetson 4, New Mexico 1
1. Carly Perales & Sunniva Helland-Hansen (STET) def. Maddie Irwin & Erin Martin (UNM) 21-19, 23-25, 15-8
2. Darby Dunn & Sammee Thomas (STET) def. Chloe Crappell & Yasmin Tan (UNM) 33-31, 21-16
3. Eastyn Baleto & Lauren Twitty (UNM) def. Samantha Harris & Rachel Noble 26-24, 21-16
4. Lauren Durham & Julie Varga (STET) def. Carly Beddingfield & Abbey Willison (UNM) 21-10, 20-22, 15-5
5. Rebecca Ingram & Quinci Birker (STET) def. Emily Nenninger & Kayla Long (UNM) 21-10, 21-8
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 3, 2*, 1
*Cinched dual win
No. 14/13 Florida International 3, New Mexico 2
1. Federica Frasca & Margherita Bianchin (FIU) def. Maddie Irwin & Erin Martin (UNM) 23-21, 21-13
2. Eastyn Baleto & Lauren Twitty (UNM) vs. Dorina Klinger & Erika Zembyla (FIU) 21-15, 24-22
3. Chloe Crappell & Yasmin Tan (UNM) vs. Anabela Sataric & Helene Thelle (FIU) 21-19, 22-20
4. Natalia Giron & Estefanie Bethancourt (FIU) def. Mercedes Pacheco & Kayla Long (UNM) 21-15, 21-12
5. Taija Thomas & Mariana Dal Pozzo (FIU) def. Carly Beddingfield & Abbey Willison (UNM) 21-14, 21-19
Order of Finish: 4, 5, 1*, 3, 2
*Cinched dual win
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