Lobos Return to Road to Face Aztecs, Rebels
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.– The New Mexico Lobos head to the road for their first Mountain West road games, set to face San Diego State on Thursday, Sept. 30 at 8 p.m. MT and UNLV on Saturday, Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. MT. Both games will be streamed on the MW Network.
The Lobos opened up MW play in perfect fashion, going 2-0 on the week without dropping a single set in wins over Air Force and Fresno State. The Lobos led from start to finish in the first two sets against the Falcons before winning in three, and had to go to extra points in the first set against the Bulldogs before winning the second and third sets.
Kaitlynn Biassou led with 26 kills (4.33 per set) and hit a career-best .524 in the win against Air Force (14-3-21). Uxue Guereca was just as solid for the Lobos with 22 kills on the week and hit .429 against the Falcons (13-1-28), while also finishing with a team-best three service aces. Melissa Walden led in assists (49, 8.17 per set) and in digs (17, 2.83 per set). Emma Smith had a team-best 10.0 total blocks (one solo, nine assisted) for an average of 1.67 per set, finishing second in the MW on the week in blocks and blocks per set. Biassou finished second in the MW in kills and kills per set, as well as points (28) and points per set (4.67).
UNM has dropped just eight sets this season while winning 34.
To date, the Lobos have: 143 more kills (568-425), 115 more assists (510-395), 91 more digs (690-599), 30 more blocks (93.0-63.0) and 37 more aces (72-35) than their opponents and are outhitting their opponents .263 to .106.
As a team, the defense has been solid, as the Lobos have held seven opponents below a .050 hitting percentage, including the last two MW matches (Air Force hit .083 and Fresno State at .067).
After the first week of conference play, UNM once again leads the NCAA in opponent hitting % (.106), is 32nd in hitting percentage (.263) and 37th in digs per set (16.43). Alena Moldan ranks 37th in the NCAA in digs per set (4.83). In the Mountain West, the Lobos are leading in opponent hitting percentage, assists per set (13.1), kills per set (14.59) and digs per set with Moldan leading in digs per set. UNM is second in hitting percentage, third in service aces per set (1.85) and fourth in blocks per set (2.38). Avital Jaloba is second in hitting percentage (.396), Melissa Walden is fourth in assists per set (9.19), Kaitlynn Biassou is fifth in kills per set (3.55) and points per set (4.23), and Elizabeth Woods is sixth in blocks per set (1.11).
San Diego State went 1-1 on the opening week of conference play, sweeping Nevada before losing in three to San José State. In non-conference, the Aztecs and Lobos shared two common opponents in Texas Southern and UC Riverside. Both teams defeated the TSU and UCR in three sets. This season, SDSU is 0-2 at home, 4-6 in three sets, 0-3 in four sets and 0-1 in five sets. The last six of SDSU’s matches have been three sets, with the Aztecs going 3-3.
Victoria O’Sullivan leads the Aztecs in kills (151) while also second in total blocks (24.0, three solo), while Noa Miller has a team-high 213 assists (5.92 per set). Ashley Vanderpan is second on the team in assists with 179 (4.26 per set), but does lead in service aces at eight. Natalie Smith leads the team, and the MW, in digs at 205, the only player in triple digits for SDSU and accounts for 31.9 percent of the team’s total digs of 643. Julia Haynie leads in total blocks at 30.0 (two solo, 28 assisted).
San Diego and UNM have a long history dating back to 1976, with the Aztecs holding a 44-21 advantage in the series and 25-7 in San Diego. UNM is 9-16 in three sets, 9-15 in four sets and 3-12 in five sets.
UNLV enters the second week of conference play 10-3 overall, 1-1 in the Mountain West after losing in three to San José State and beating Nevada in three sets. The Rebels had a loaded non-conference schedule, playing then-No. 15 BYU (losing in three), then-No. 8 Purdue (losing in three) and then-No. 25 Washington State (winning in four). Prior to conference play starting, UNLV closed with a five-set win over Arizona State and at one point was on a seven-match win streak.
The Rebels are 6-3 in three sets, 3-0 in four sets and 1-0 in five sets, and 1-1 at home.
Mariena Hayden leads the Rebels in kills (131, 3.74 per set) and service aces (24), with Arien Fafard leading in assists at 228 (5.18 per set). Lauryn Burt is closely behind in assists with 219 and 4.98 per set. Shelby Capllonch has accounted for a team-high 133 digs with Paris Oliveira narrowly behind her with 126 while playing eight less sets. Kate Brennan and Jordyn Freeman are tied for the team high in blocks at 48.0 total, with 13 solo and 35 assisted for Brennan and five solo and 43 assisted for Freeman. Hayden is fourth nationally in aces per set at 0.69 and 20th in overall service aces. As a team, UNLV was picked as the preseason favorite with eight first-place votes.
New Mexico is 18-26 against UNLV, 8-13 in Las Vegas. However, UNM is 3-2 in the last five matches. The Lobos are 8-11 in three sets, 8-10 in four sets and 2-5 in five sets.
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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 and serve as season tickets for all listed sports.
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.