ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Following a stellar start to the season by the Lobos, junior outside hitter Kaitlynn Biassou and junior libero Alena Moldan have been named the Mountain West Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week, respectively.
Monday’s announcement marks the first weekly conference honor for both Lobo co-captains, and the second time that the Lobos have won both the offensive and defensive awards in the same week in the last two years (Kali Wolf and Uxue Guereca won to start the season last year).
Biassou’s selection comes after the Sparks, Nev., native led the Lobos in kills and points in two of the three matches with match-high 14 and 15 kills and 16 and 18 points, averaging 4.11 kills per set and 4.83 points per set.
Among her many highlights on the weekend, Biassou tallied six kills in the second set against the host Titans as UNM won the set 25-9 and was a perfect 5-for-5 in the third set against Cal State Fullerton, including back-to-back kills that pushed the lead to 19-10 and one that gave UNM match point. In the second set against Fordham, the Lobo hit .778 on 7-0-9 hitting, recording more kills than the entire Ram team in the set, while also registering two service aces in the set (Fordham had one as a team) for 9.0 points.
The co-captain recorded at least one service ace in each match, which included a service ace in first set against CSUF that gave UNM a 21-20 lead, as part of a 4-0 run that gave the first Lobo lead in the set since 16-15.
Through the first weekend of competition, Biassou is second in the conference in kills per set and points per set, top five in service aces per set and in the top 10 in hitting percentage. No other player in the MW was as efficient in hitting percentage (.351) and kills (37), with Biassou finishing in the top two in kills and eighth in hitting percentage.
Moldan led not only the Lobos, but the conference, in digs and digs per set in the opening weekend with 60 digs and 6.67 digs per set, while playing two less sets than the second-best player in the categories.
The co-captain produced match-high digs in all three matches, reaching 20-plus digs in two of the matches. Moldan finished with 23 digs against Cal State Fullerton, 20 against Fordham and 17 against UC Riverside, and among her highlights, finished with the most digs between all players on both teams in all three sets against Cal State Fullerton. In addition, the Lakeville, Minn., native posted 11 digs in the second set against Fordham, where as a team Fordham had 12 total.
As a team, the defense was solid in all three matches as the Lobos held all three opponents below a .050 hitting percentage (UC Riverside finished at .045, Cal State Fullerton at .036, and Fordham at .049).
The Lobos recorded their first 3-0 start to the season since 2009 and it was the first time recording three-straight sweeps in a single season since 2013.
UNM (3-0) returns to the road for its next tournament, this time at Abilene Christian for a three-match tournament against Green Bay, Abilene Christian and Texas Southern. The first match is set for Friday, Sept. 3 at 10 a.m. MT against Green Bay.
BECOME A PRIDE PASS HOLDER
Lobo fans can purchase Pride Passes to attend all home volleyball matches. For $50, fans receive admission for all soccer, volleyball, baseball, softball and track and field home events.
Fans can purchase their Lobo Pride Pass online here (CLICK HERE), or they can do so directly through the Lobo Ticket Office in person or on the phone (925-LOBO). The Lobo Ticket Office is located in The Pit and is open 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Tickets will be digital with tickets to each event uploaded into each pass holder’s account prior to the season.