UNM to Face Nevada in Thursday Night Dig Pink Match
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.– The New Mexico Lobos host the Nevada Wolf Pack in the first of two home matches this week, with an annual Dig Pink match on Thursday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m.
Historically, New Mexico is 9-2 against Nevada- 4-1 at home- and is currently in the midst of a two-match win streak.
UNM Notes | Nevada Notes | Live Stream | Live Stats
New Mexico Perfect in Second Week of Conference Play
New Mexico volleyball went 2-0 on the week to move to 3-1 in the Mountain West Conference, defeating UNLV (25-14, 19-25, 25-23, 25-10) at home and Air Force (19-25, 25-17, 25-18, 23-25, 15-11) on the road. The Lobos gave the Rebels and Falcons their first conference losses of the season and moved UNM into a tie for second.
The 3-1 start is the best start to conference since the Lobos went 4-0 in 2014.
Going the Distance
Six times this season, UNM has played five sets, recording a 4-2 record. In their last match, at Air Force, the Lobos were unable to capture the fourth set but catapulted out to 10-2 lead in the fifth behind a 9-0 run. The Falcons made a late push to cut the margin to three at 14-11, but Tai Bierria notched the final point on a kill to seal the set and the match.
In the last non-conference match against CMU, and for the fifth time this season, UNM went the distance in a five-set victory. After the Chippewas rallied to force a fifth set, the Lobos scored the first three points of the set, closed the match on a 7-0 run, including four blocks in-a-row, en route to the 15-7 set win.
In the three matches played at the Idaho Volleyball Classic on opening weekend and the three matches at the UNF Invitational, the Lobos played five sets in two of each tournament, going 2-2. UNM lost a late lead in the fifth set to fall to Grand Canyon University to open the tournament, but finished with a five-set victory against host Idaho. At UNF, New Mexico was down to match point at 24-23 in the fourth set, with Lauren Twitty registering a kill to extend the set. The Lobos would go on to win 26-24. In the fifth set, the Lobos trailed 13-10 before fighting back to win the set 16-14.
Spragg Named MW Offensive Player of the Week
Redshirt-senior middle blocker Victoria Spragg earned her first career weekly conference play of the week honor after recording 20 kills, 30.5 points and hitting .529 on the week in the matches against UNLV and Air Force. Spragg averaged 2.22 k/s and 3.39 points per set for the Lobos.
She tallied her first career double-double at Air Force with a season-high 11 kills and a career-high 12 total blocks (two solo, 10 assisted) and hit a season-high .692 versus UNLV (9-0-13).
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 362 assists, averaging 5.57 per set, and Inclan is behind her with 271 assists (4.37 a/s). Combined, the duo has 633 of the team’s 723 assists. Bianco has started all 16 matches, registering double-digit assists in all 16, with a season-high 42 against UNF. Inclan recorded a season-high 32 in the last match at Air Force, and averaged 5.89 assists per set on the week against UNLV and Air Force with 53 total assists.
Serves You Right
Sabrina Bianco (13) and LaurenTwitty (13) are tied for the team high in service aces. Jaclyn Inclan and Morgan Schreckler both have 10 on the season.
Joining the Rankings
Lauren Twitty is sixth in the Mountain West with 3.45 k/s, totaling 221 kills in 64 sets, the fifth-most kills in the conference, as well as fifth in points per set at 4.03 (258 points). Mercedes Pacheco is sixth in digs per set with 3.51. Victoria Spragg is ninth in blocks per set with 1.11, with the fifth-most total blocks, and 10th in overall hitting percentage at .313.
In just conference matches, Spragg leads the MW in hitting percentage at .438 and is sixth in blocks per set (1.38) with the third-most total blocks at 22. Twitty is fourth in kills per set (3.81) and Tai Bierria is eighth (3.25).
Nationally, Twitty is ranked in attacks per set (9.75), points (258), points per set (4.03), total kills (221), kills per set (3.45) and total attacks (624). Spragg is ranked in total blocks (72) and blocks per set (1.11), while Mariessa Carrasco ranks in total blocks with 59 on the year.
I’ll Have the Double-Double, Please
The double-doubles keep coming for the Lobos, as UNM has 20 on the season. Tai Bierria and Lauren Twitty each have six, with Twitty recording three double-doubles at the UNF Invitational.
In the last match at Air Force, UNM had three players with double-doubles with Victoria Spragg (11 kills, 12 blocks), Jaclyn Inclan (32 assists, 14 digs) and Mercedes Pacheco (10 assists, 21 digs). It was the first double-double of the season for Spragg and Inclan.
Versus Furman, three New Mexico players had a double-double, but in all three UNF Invitational matches, at least two Lobos had a double-double.
Against Idaho, four Lobo players registered double-doubles. Sabrina Bianco had 30 assists and 12 digs, 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.
Just Dig It
Lauren Twitty is pacing the Lobos in digs with 159 digs through 64 sets, an average of 2.48 digs per set. Mercedes Pacheco is second on the team with 144 digs at 3.51 digs per set, followed by Tai Bierria, who has 136 digs (2.16 d/s).
Scouting the Opposition
About Nevada
The Wolf Pack is 1-5 on the road, 4-4 in three-set matches, 1-2 in four sets and 3-1 in five sets.
Kayla Afoa leads the team in kills with 189 (3.38 k/s) and is second on the team in service aces (17) and digs (184). The sophomore outside hitter has tallied 212.0 points, averaging 3.79 points per set and is hitting .165 on the season. Dalyn Burns has 528 of the team’s 680 assists, an average of 9.78 a/s. Ashley Maki has a team-high 24 service aces and Mo Maluotoga leads Nevada with 232 digs, averaging 4.30 digs per set. Hailey Maniglia has 36 total blocks, three solo and 33 assisted, an average of 0.64 b/s to lead the team in the category.
Jamila Minor is fourth in the Mountain West in kills per set with a 3.57 average, while Afoa is seventh. Burns is second in the conference in assists per set. Maki is fourth in the MW in service aces per set (0.49), followed by Afoa at .30 sa/s in 10th. Maluotoga is third in overall digs per set and Afoa is ninth with 3.29 digs per set with 184 digs in 56 sets. Both Minor and Afoa rank in the top 10 of points per set, with Minor seventh (4.02, 205 points) and Afoa ninth.
Nevada leads the MW in digs per set, averaging 16.64, but is last in blocks and blocks per set with 73 blocks and a 1.30 average.
Series vs. Nevada
This will be the 12th meeting between the two teams, with UNM holding a 9-2 edge. In Albuquerque, the Lobos are 4-1 against the Wolf Pack. Nevada has won the last two meetings, both 3-1 victories occurring in 2017. UNM is 6-0 in three sets and 3-2 in four sets. The two teams have never gone to five sets.
Tickets
Tickets for the match will be $2. Single-game tickets can be purchased at Johnson Center prior to the match, or fans can purchase a New Mexico Mutual Lobo Pride Pass, which grants owners access to all home games for all Olympic sports during the 2018-19 academic year. The New Mexico Mutual Lobo Pride Pass will give one person admission to all Lobo Volleyball regular season matches. For more information on the New Mexico Mutual Lobo Pride Pass please contact the Lobo Ticket Office in Dreamstyle Arena at (505) 925-LOBO.