ALBUQUERQUE, N.M– The New Mexico Lobos continue non-conference play this Friday and Saturday at the UNF Invitational in Jacksonville, Fla. The Lobos will face three teams that they have never met before in the Furman Paladins, the USC Upstate Spartans and host North Florida Ospreys. Friday’s match against North Florida will be streamed on ESPN+, which requires a subscription.
New Mexico Opened Home Schedule with Lobo Classic
New Mexico volleyball went 2-1 in the Lobo Classic, finishing runner-up to Florida Gulf Coast. UNM defeated EKU 25-16, 25-20, 25-18 followed by a four-set win over FGCU (25-23, 10-25, 25-23, 25-18) on Friday. The Lobos fell to the in-state Aggies 24-26, 23-25, 18-25, after a close set in the first and an attempted comeback that fell short in the second.
Beddingfield Named MVP, Bierria to All-Tournament Team
Senior outside hitter Carly Beddingfield was named MVP of the Lobo Classic after recording 24 kills, five total blocks and hitting a team-high .321, including a team-high nine kills against New Mexico State. Junior outside hitter Tai Bierria made the all-tournament team with a team-high 32 kills on the weekend, registering a double-double against Florida Gulf Coast (13 kills, 10 digs) and match-highs of 14 kills against Eastern Kentucky and 13 kills against FGCU. Bierria hit .260 on the weekend and also added 24 digs and a team-high 33.5 points.
Setting the Tone
The Lobos have two new setters on the roster in freshman Sabrina Bianco and redshirt-freshman transfer Jaclyn Inclan. Bianco leads the team with 126 assists, averaging 5.48 per set, and Inclan is behind her with 96 assists (4.17 a/s). Combined, the duo has 222 of the team’s 250 assists. Bianco has started all six matches, registering double-digit assists in all six, but both have played in all 23 sets.
Joining the Rankings
Lauren Twitty is ninth in the Mountain West with 3.23 k/s, totaling 71 kills in 22 sets.Victoria Spragg has tallied 27 total blocks (three solo, 24 assisted) in 23 sets, placing the middle blocker tied for seventh in the conference in blocks per set at 1.17.
Nationally, Twitty is ranked in attacks and attacks per set (220/ 10.0), Spragg is ranked in total blocks and blocks per set (27/ 1.17) and Pacheco is ranked in total digs (75).
I’ll Have the Double-Double, Please
The double-doubles keep coming for the Lobos, as Tai Bierria made it six on the season for UNM. The outside hitter had 13 kills, 10 digs in the win against FGCU, giving the junior her third double-double to date.
Lauren Twitty (17 kills, 11 digs vs. GCU/ 20 kills, 14 digs at Idaho) registered two double-doubles in the first weekend of play. Bierria (outside hitter) also registered two double-doubles in her first three appearances as a Lobo, tallying 11 kills and 12 digs versus Grand Canyon and 12 kills and 12 digs against Idaho.
Against Idaho, four Lobo players registered double-doubles. Sabrina Bianco had 30 assists and 12 digs, Jaclyn Inclan had 23 assists to go with 11 digs, in addition to Twitty’s 20 kills and 14 digs and Bierria’s 12 kills and 12 digs.
Can you Dig it?
Mercedes Pacheco is pacing the Lobos in digs with 75 digs through 23 sets, an average of 3.26 digs per set. Bierria is second on the team with 53 digs at 2.30 digs per set, followed closely by Twitty who has 50 digs (2.27 d/s).
Serves You Right
Inclan (six) and Bianco (four) are first and second, respectively, on the team in service aces. In total, there are six players with serving percentages over .900. Inclan has a serve percentage of .952, Pacheco (.948), Bierria (.943), Morgan Schreckler (.933), Bianco (.926) and Carrasco (.902), all with 30 or more attempts.
Scouting the Opposition
About North Florida
North Florida is 0-2 in three-set matches, 1-3 in four sets and 0-1 in five sets.
Taryn Griffey leads the team in kills with 98 (3.63 k/s) and in total blocks (26.0, five solo and 21 assisted), while Madilyn McCarty leads in assists with 225 (8.33 a/s), tallying 225 of the team’s 300. Madison Donnelly leads in digs with 64 (2.56 d/s) and Asante Lopez has a team-high six service aces.
The Ospreys were picked to finish fourth in the ASUN preseason poll, receiving 46 points.
About Furman
The Paladins are 1-2 in three-set matches, 0-2 in four sets and 0-1 in five sets. Their lone win was a straight-set win over Georgia State in their last match.
Nicole Mack leads the team with 49 kills (2.72 k/s), while Meg DeMaar leads Furman in digs (106, 4.82 d/s) and service aces (13). Hunter Thompson has a team-high 199 assists (of the team’s 241), a 9.05 a/s average, and Neci Harris leads in total blocks with 18.0 (all assisted).
Furman was selected as the SoCon preseason favorite after winning the regular season in 2017. They received four first-place votes and 60 points in the poll.
About USC Upstate
The Spartans have been outscored by their opponents 18-5 in their six matches. Three of its loses have come in straight sets. They are 0-3 in three sets, 0-1 in four sets and 0-2 in five sets.
McKenna Kirkpatrick leads USC Upstate in kills with 45 (1.96 k/s), hitting .217. Payton Duncan leads the team in service aces (seven) and digs (86, 3.74 d/s) and Madison Haake leads the team in assists with 177 of the team’s 228, an average of 7.70 a/s. Emily Russell has 16 total blocks to the lead the team, with one solo and 15 assisted.
USC Upstate was picked to finish seventh in the Big South preseason poll.