UNM Falls to NMSU to Conclude Borderland Invitational
LAS CRUCES, N.M.— The University of New Mexico volleyball team concluded the Borderland Invitational with a three-set loss to New Mexico State on Saturday night.
After sweeping Pacific earlier in the day, the Lobos fell 25-15, 25-17, 25-14 at the Pan American Center.
Senior Lauren Twitty led the Lobos with six kills in the match, Jaclyn Inclan had nine digs and eight assists and Maddie Freiwald had nine assists. Rachel Murphy continued her impact at the net with three assisted blocks and Tai Bierria and Maddie Freiwald each recorded a service ace.
In the opening set, NMSU scored the first three points of the set before a service error put UNM on the board. The Lobos were able to pull within one at 5-4 on a service error by NMSU before the Aggies pushed the deficit to four at 8-4. Back-to-back Bierria kills cut the margin in half at 9-7, however, New Mexico State went on a 7-2 run to extend the lead to 16-9. The Lobos would score six more points in the set as they dropped the first set 25-15.
Bierria led the Lobos with three kills in the set with Rowan adding two with Freiwald assisting on five points and adding a service ace.
Much like the first set, the Aggies got out to an early lead before a service error put UNM on the board in the second set. A Bierria ace, Twitty kill and a Kaitlynn Biassou kill kept the Lobos within reach at 5-4. After the Aggies went back up 8-5, a Yasmin Tan kill made it a two-point set at 8-6, but NMSU answered to extend the lead to five at 12-7. Aggie attack errors cut in to the deficit at 12-9 but again NMSU built the lead back up to six at 15-9. Out of the media timeout, UNM answered with the next four points to make it back to a two-point set at 15-13, with two points coming off of NMSU errors and the other two points on Murphy and Biassou blocks. The Lobos got as close as two at 16-14 before NMSU closed on a 9-3 run to win the second set 25-17.
Tan led with two kills in the set and Murphy and Biassou teamed up for two assisted blocks to lead the Lobos in the set.
The third set was the closest of the night with seven ties and three lead changes. An Aggie attack error to start the set gave UNM its first lead of the match and there was little separation in the early parts of the set with six ties in the first 12 points. A long rally gave NMSU a two-point lead at 8-6 but a 4-2 Lobo run capped by a Twitty kill and block with Murphy tied the set at 10. However, NMSU went on an 8-0 run to create separation which ended with a Twitty kill. An Aggie attack error gave UNM consecutive points that made it 18-12. Kills by Rowan and Twitty provided the final Lobo points as UNM fell in the third set, 25-14.
Up next for UNM is the Seattle Redhawk Tournament which starts Friday at noon.