UNM Falls in Four at UNLV
LAS VEGAS, Nev.— Kaitlynn Biassou finished with 14 kills and four service aces, with Avital Jaloba tallying six assisted blocks, as The University of New Mexico volleyball team fell to UNLV in four sets on Saturday afternoon.
UNM battled back from a 25-18 first set loss to counter with an identical 25-18 second set score win, and although the Lobos got out to an early lead in the third set, the Rebels edged out the Lobos in the third set 25-20 and won the fourth set 25-19.
The second set saw six ties, but after Biassou started the set with a kill, while the Rebels managed to tie the set, the Lobos never trailed. A late 3-0 run behind a Biassou kill, a Rebel attack error and an Uxue Guereca service ace pushed the Lobos in front 18-15, and a 5-0 Lobo scoring run that included a Kali Wolf kill, a Melissa Walden kill, back-to-back Alena Moldan service aces and a Biassou kill pushed the Lobos to set point. A UNLV attack error provided the final UNM point in the set in the 25-18 score.
Biassou had six kills and hit .600 as the Lobos hit .483 in the set.
UNM looked to continue the momentum in the third set, getting out ahead 4-1 courtesy of a Biassou kill, an Emma Smith and Biassou block and two UNLV attack errors. UNLV tied the set at five, with three more ties occurring at six, seven and eight before the Lobos pulled ahead 11-8 and again at 14-10. UNLV answered to tie the set at 15 and proceeded to take a 19-15 lead. While the Lobos fought back to close within one at 20-19, UNLV took the third set 25-20.
Much like the third set, the Rebels got out to a 4-1 lead in the fourth set ad it was UNM that responded to tie the set at four with a Wolf block, a Jaloba kill and Biassou kill. A Biassou ace put the Lobos within one at 7-6 and the Lobos rallied to take a 10-9 lead on a Jaloba kill. There were three more ties at 10, 11 and 12 before UNLV took a 17-13 lead. UNM made one more push to cut the lead in half at 18-16, but the Rebels took the set 25-19.
UNM is now 12-3 on the year, 3-1 in conference. The Lobos host Utah State and Boise State on Thursday and Saturday, respectively, at the Johnson Center.