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UNM Drops Match to SJSU in Heartbreaking Fashion

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Much can be said about the five-set match between New Mexico and San José State on Thursday night at the Johnson Center.

There was the fact that the match had 30 ties and 15 lead changes, including 12 ties and eight lead changes in the fourth set and six ties and two lead changes in the fifth set.

There were the match-high 22 kills produced by Kaitlynn Biassou, aided by 12 each from Uxue Guereca and Avital Jaloba, with Guereca finishing with a double-double, her third of the season, with her kills paired with 10 digs. It was Biassou’s second match with 20-plus kills in the last five matches, 14th match on the season in double-digit kills and 12th time in the last 13 matches with 10-plus kills. There were the four service aces by Kali Wolf, for the second time this season to tie her career high, accounting for half of UNM’s team total on the night. There were the five total blocks by Kassie McGill (all assisted) and Elizabeth Woods (one solo and four assisted). There was an unprecedented 30-plus minute delay following the third point in the fifth set that had both teams standing around, leading to stretching and warming up again before play resumed.

At the end of the match, UNM lost in a heartbreaking 25-13, 19-25, 25-18, 24-26, 12-15 fashion.

The Lobos started off hot, hitting .440 to SJSU’s -.032 behind four kills each from Biassou and Guereca. Biassou was perfect in the first set, finishing with kills on all of her attacks, while also serving up an ace along with Alena Moldan.

Following a tie at one in the first set, the Lobos used a 3-0 run to exert control and stretched the lead to seven at 9-2 on Biassou’s ace. UNM went on another run, this time 4-0, to push the lead to 10 at 17-7 and closed with another 4-0 scoring run down the stretch to build a 23-11 lead. A Woods solo block pushed the Lobos to set point and a Spartan attack error provided the final point in the 25-13 Lobo win.

The second set was much more closely contested with five ties and two lead changes, and Biassou took over with nine kills and a .727 hitting percentage (9-1-11), while Melissa Walden registered nine of her team-high 35 assists in the set.

After a tie at five-all, SJSU pushed ahead 8-5 and led for the rest of the set. UNM fought off two set points on a SJSU service error and Guereca ace before evening the match at one apiece on a 25-19 set win.

UNM responded in the third set with a 25-18 set win to take the 2-1 lead in the match with six ties in the first 14 points. A Jaloba kill put the Lobos back in front and started a 5-0 Lobo run that included a Jaloba and McGill block, a Spartan attack error, a Wolf kill and a McGill kill for a 12-7 Lobo lead. A Guereca kill extended the lead to seven at 19-12, with Biassou closing with a kill that put the Lobos at set point and a final Biassou kill that gave the Lobos the 25-18 set win.  The Lobos outhit the Spartans .250 to .091 in the set.

The fourth set required extra points to decide with a Biassou kill tying the set at 23 and a Guereca kill tying the set at 24 before SJSU scored the next two points to force a fifth set. As mentioned, the fourth set was the closest set with 12 ties, including ties at 21, 22, 23 and 24 down the stretch.

Jaloba led the Lobos in the fourth set with three kills on six attempts, while Wolf was a threat from the service line with three aces in the set that included one that kept UNM in front 20-18.

In the final set, a kill by Biassou tied the set at one and on the next point, the referee called an attack error on the Spartans that led to a challenge from the Spartans. Following a review, the challenge was unsuccessful, but there continued to be discussion, which led to the aforementioned 30-minute delay before Wolf served to resume the match. A Jaloba kill was the first point out of the break to make it 3-1 Lobos but the Spartans tied the set at four. UNM led by two at 8-6, 9-7 and 11-9, leading by three at 12-9 on a Guereca kill but the Spartans managed to tie the set at 12 and scored the final three points.

Biassou finished with four kills in the final set and Wolf added a final ace in the fifth.

UNM heads to Nevada to face the Wolf Pack on Saturday at 2 p.m. MT before returning home to face Colorado State and Wyoming next week.