New Mexico Registers Split to Open Bear Down Bash
TUCSON, Ariz. — The University of New Mexico beach volleyball team opened up its final week of the season on Friday with a split as the Lobos faced off against Benedictine at Mesa and host Arizona at the Bear Down Bash in Tucson.
The Lobos (9-13) opened the two-day tournament at Bear Down Beach with a tough 5-0 loss against the 14th-ranked Wildcats (18-10), but rallied to post a dominant 5-0 sweep of the Redhawks (9-10).
On the penultimate day of the regular season, New Mexico played its 10th match of the season against a nationally ranked team or a team receiving votes in the national polls.
But the Lobos and their ever-improving roster were able to shake off their early stumble vs. Arizona to claim a strong team performance vs. Benedictine.
UNM’s win vs. Benedictine was the team’s fifth sweep this season and the third in the last two weeks.
A number of pairs also continued compiling the wins this season as they climbed higher on the program’s single-season wins list.
The tandems of Maddie Irwin & Erin Martin and Eastyn Baleto & Lauren Twitty both earned their 13th wins of the season, with both pairs moving one win away from seventh in program history in single-season wins.
The Lobos will look for some more wins and a final sweep on Saturday as they close their 2018 season vs. Utah at 11 a.m. MT.
No. 14 Arizona 5, New Mexico 0
Old foes met again on Friday afternoon as New Mexico and Arizona squared off for the eighth time in program history.
And while the Lobos couldn’t halt the nationally ranked Wildcats on their home courts, UNM was able to give UA a battle, falling 5-0 with a couple of positions going to three sets.
Arizona struck first in the dual with a win on the No. 5 court as the Lobos’ Emily Nenninger & Abbey Willison dropped a 21-14, 21-10 decision to the Wildcats’ Caroline Cordes & Makenna Martin.
New Mexico also yielded the No. 4 position, where Mercedes Pacheco & Carly Beddingfield fell 21-16, 21-10 to Brooke Burling & Jonny Baham.
After the switch to the top flight, the Lobos continued to fight as they took the Nos. 2 and 3 court to a third set.
At the No. 2 slot, Baleto & Twitty rallied from a first-set loss to force a decisive third frame, but eventually lost 21-15, 19-21, 15-9 to Arizona’s Kacey Nady & Olivia Hallaran.
Chloe Crappell & Yasmin Tan also went to three sets against Hailey Devlin & Stephany Purdue on the No. 3 court, but fell 12-21, 21-11, 15-7.
UNM’s top-seeded pair, Irwin & Martin, also dropped a close contest, losing 21-15, 21-16 to the Wildcats’ Natalie Anselmo & Olivia Macdonald.
New Mexico 5, Benedictine 0
After a short lunch break, New Mexico looked to get back to business at Bear Down Beach.
And the Lobos did get back to business in a big way, handily sweeping Benedictine 5-0 as they won four of the five courts in straight sets and largely dominated the NAIA school from nearby Mesa, Arizona.
Kayla Long & Willison started the scoring with a 21-18, 21-19 triumph over Megan Block & Dani Burke on the No. 4 court. The UNM duo moved to 6-6 together this season.
Pacheco & Beddingfield chipped in another point in the dual match by way of their comeback win at the No. 5 position. After dropping the first set 13-21, Pacheco & Beddingfield rallied to win the next two sets 21-14, 15-8 over Hayden Boucher & Benesia Rodriguez.
New Mexico continued to light up the scoreboard after the switch to the top flight of courts, earning all three wins in convincing fashion.
Crappell & Tan defeated Sydney Nelson & Caitlan Sammons 21-11, 21-11 on the No. 3 court for their seventh win together over their last 10 matches.
At the No. 2 position, Baleto & Twitty breezed by Anokina Mirzapour & Kassandra Renteria, claiming their ninth win in their last 11 matches by scores of 21-7, 21-6. It’s the fewest points given up in a match by any Lobo pair since 2016.
But, points notwithstanding, Baleto & Twitty moved to 13-6 on the season.
Irwin & Martin wrapped up the scoring at the 1’s, registering their own dominant performance in a 21-9, 21-13 victory over Jackie Woods & Kat McCullough. They also captured their 13th win of the season and sit 13-9 on the year.
No. 14 Arizona 5, New Mexico 0
1. Natalie Anselmo & Olivia Macdonald (ARIZ) def. Maddie Irwin & Erin Martin (UNM) 21-15, 21-16
2. Kacey Nady & Olivia Hallaran (ARIZ) def. Eastyn Baleto & Lauren Twitty (UNM) 21-15, 19-21, 15-9
3. Hailey Devlin & Stephany Purdue (ARIZ) def. Chloe Crappell & Yasmin Tan (UNM) 12-21, 21-11, 15-7
4. Brooke Burling & Jonny Baham (ARIZ) def. Mercedes Pacheco & Carly Beddingfield (UNM) 21-16, 21-10
5. Caroline Cordes & Makenna Martin (ARIZ) def. Emily Nenninger & Abbey Willison (UNM) 21-14, 21-10
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 1, 3, 2
New Mexico 5, Benedictine 0
1. Erin Martin & Maddie Irwin (UNM) def. Jackie Woods & Kat McCullough (BENE) 21-9, 21-13
2. Lauren Twitty & Eastyn Baleto (UNM) def. Anokina Mirzapour & Kassandra Renteria (BENE) 21-7, 21-6
3. Chloe Crappell & Yasmin Tan (UNM) def. Sydney Nelson & Caitlan Sammons (BENE) 21-11, 21-11
4. Kayla Long & Abbey Willison (UNM) def. Megan Block & Dani Burke (BENE) 21-18, 21-19
5. Mercedes Pacheco & Carly Beddingfield (UNM) def. Hayden Boucher & Benesia Rodriguez (BENE) 13-21, 21-14, 15-8
Order of Finish: 4, 5, 3, 2, 1
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