UNM to Play at Air Force Sunday
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M– The Lobos continue conference play this Sunday, when they travel to the USAF Academy (11-4, 1-0 MW). First serve is scheduled for noon.
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New Mexico Moves to 2-1 in Conference Play
The Lobos defeated the UNLV Rebels on Wednesday night in four sets to improve to 8-7 on the season and 2-1 in conference play. Lauren Twitty led the Lobos with 15 kills in the match, hitting .333, while Sabrina Bianco and Jaclyn Inclantallied 22 and 21 assists, respectively. Mercedes Pacheco had a team-high 17 digs and Victoria Spragg had two solo blocks and three assisted blocks to anchor the defense. Twitty also had a team-high two service aces on the night.
Going the Distance
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.
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 349 assists, averaging 5.82 per set, and Inclan is behind her with 239 assists (4.19 a/s). Combined, the duo has 588 of the team’s 666 assists. Bianco has started all 15 matches, registering double-digit assists in all 15, with a season-high 42 against UNF.
Serves You Right
Bianco (13) and Twitty (13) are tied for the team-high in service aces. Jaclyn Inclan has 10 on the season.
I’ll Have the Double-Double, Please
The double-doubles keep coming for the Lobos, as UNM has 17 on the season. Tai Bierria and Lauren Twitty each have six, with Twitty recording three double-doubles at the UNF Invitational.
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, 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.
Just Dig It
Lauren Twitty is pacing the Lobos in digs with 151 digs through 59 sets, an average of 2.56 digs per set. Tai Bierria is second on the team with 128 digs at 2.21 digs per set, followed by Mercedes Pacheco, who has 123 digs (3.42 d/s).
Road Block
Victoria Spragg leads the team with 60 total blocks (eight solo and 52 assisted), with an average of 1.0 block per set. In the last game against UNLV, she had two solo blocks and three assisted blocks. Mariessa Carrasco is second on the team with 53 total blocks, five solo and 48 assisted. Twitty has a team-high in solo blocks with six.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
About Air Force
The Falcons are 7-2 at home this season and are 5-1 in three sets, 4-1 in four sets and 2-2 in five sets.
Denise Ssozi leads Air Force in kills with 200 (3.51 k/s) and points (222.5 points), and is hitting .221. Shanleigh Conlan leads the team in service aces (17) and 313 assists (5.59 a/s), while Sarah Hellman has a team-high 191 digs (3.29 d/s) with Ssozi second on the team with 160 (2.81 d/s). Kathleen Medill (six solo, 49 assisted) has 55 total blocks to the lead the team.
Roberts is second in the conference in kills per set and points per set (4.70), and Hughes is third in service aces. Boss is fifth in assists per set and Simon is seventh. Donahue is second in the MW in blocks per set at 1.45 with her teammate Hughes also in the top-10, coming in at eighth with 47 total blocks (6 solo, 41 assisted /1.12 b/s)
Air Force leads the Mountain West in assists (730, 12.59 a/s) and is third in kills per set (13.33 k/s).
Series vs. Air Force
The Lobos and Falcons will be meeting for the 41st time, with UNM holding a 36-4 overall record against Air Force. In Colorado, the Lobos are 8-3. Last season, the Falcons won in five sets, snapping a 26-straight win streak for the Lobos.