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Friday • 2:30 p.m. MTThis week may not be as busy as some other weeks the Lobos have faced this season.
But that doesn’t mean it’s any less important.
The University of New Mexico beach volleyball team, hot off a strong performance last weekend at home, looks to continue building momentum as it heads to California for a Friday afternoon showdown vs. CSU Bakersfield.
Winners of three of their last four, the Lobos (5-10) have designs on adding another win in their only match of the week as they take on the Roadrunners (3-10) at 2:30 p.m. MT the Barnes Beach Volleyball Complex at the Student Rec Center in Bakersfield.
Although New Mexico is only slated to play one match this week, it’s an important one as the Lobos aim for continued improvement.
After a solid showing last weekend in their only home tournament of the season, the youthful Lobos are rolling. Now, as they venture to California for just their seventh match all-time in the state, the key is maintaining that momentum.
It’s not unprecedented for UNM to gain steam in April, as evidenced by the team’s seven-match winning streak last April.
But, with a team that features seven new players, they’ll have to find their own way of building steam. With so many new faces, these are largely uncharted waters for New Mexico.
Luckily for the Lobos, they’ve had some first-year players step up in a big way over the past few weeks.
At the No. 1 position, newcomers Maddie Irwin & Erin Martin have provided steadfast leadership, winning five of their last six matches en route to an 8-7 overall record this season.
Over their last six matches, they logged a four-game winning streak, the longest-ever by a tandem in the No. 1 slot.
Additionally, UNM’s No. 2 duo of Eastyn Baleto & Lauren Twitty has been stellar, sweeping through the team’s home tournament last week. They’ve won four straight and seven of their last nine to sit at 8-4 this season.
New Mexico also earned some more consistency down its lineup last weekend, with multiple pairs winning multiple matches.
Chloe Crappell & Yasmin Tan have won four of their last five matches at the No. 3 position, while Carly Beddingfield & Mercedes Pacheco have started clicking at the No. 4 spot.
The 5’s was also a source of points in Albuquerque, with Abbey Willison & Kayla Long teaming up for two wins last weekend. Willison, playing primarily from the 5’s, has gone 7-8 this year, tied for fifth-most individual wins this season.
Keeping up their strong play will be paramount this weekend as the Lobos face off against a battle-tested CSU Bakersfield team.
The Roadrunners enter this week’s tilt owners of a 5-10 overall record and losers of seven straight matches. CSU Bakersfield only has one Division I win (a first-year Missouri State team) and has been swept in five of its last seven contests.
That said, CSUB has played a challenging schedule. Playing in the competitive Big West, the ‘Runners have faced some of the top teams in the NCAA, with five matches against top-10 teams and seven matches overall vs. ranked squads.
This will be the fourth meeting all-time between the two teams, with one matchup each season since 2015. CSUB won the first meeting 3-2 in 2015, but the Lobos have captured the last two.
This is the first match between the two teams not at a neutral site, as the previous three meetings were all in Arizona.
Fans can follow @UNMLoboBeach on Twitter and Instagram to keep track of the Lobos!