UNM Falls in Four to UNLV
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— A match-high 15 kills from Kaitlynn Biassou, a match-high 32 assists by Alia Rasmussen and a career-and match-high eight blocks by Avital Jaloba weren’t enough as the New Mexico volleyball fell in four sets to UNLV on Thursday night at the Johnson Center.
Biassou finished with 10 digs to go along with her 15 kills for her third double-double of the season, and fellow co-captain Alena Moldan led with a team-high 14 digs, finishing as the two Lobos to reach double-digit digs. Rasmussen was one dig short of a double-double.
UNM was successful on the block in the match, outblocking the Rebels 13.0 to 11.0 with Elizabeth Woods tallying two solo and two assisted blocks and Kassie McGill with one solo and four assisted blocks.
The Lobos showed fight throughout the match, coming back from down 9-3 in the first set to tie the set at 15 and forcing another tie at 16-all before UNLV closed with the final nine points in the 25-16 set win.
In the second set, the Lobos rallied from down 15-9 to tie the set at 15 and took a 16-15 lead on a Jaloba kill. Following a tie at 16, a McGill kill gave UNM the lead back, but the Rebels answered to retake the lead at 18-17. Another McGill kill tied the set at 18 before the Rebels pulled away in the 25-20 set win.
UNM fought back in the third set, taking the first two points on a kill by McGill and a Moldan service ace and used a 3-0 run to go ahead 10-7. A 6-0 run later in the set pushed the Lobos in front by nine at 23-14, which included a Rasmussen kill, two Jaloba and Kali Wolf blocks, a McGill and Jaloba block, a Wolf kill and a Rasmussen ace. UNLV closed to 23-19 before a Rebel service error and attack error aided the Lobos in a 25-19 set win to extend the match.
Biassou recorded six kills and hit .556 in the set and Jaloba led with three assisted blocks as the Lobos hit a match-high .423 and held the Rebels without a block. UNM also registered three service aces in the set with Biassou, Moldan and Rasmussen all collecting one.
The fourth set was close early on with seven ties in the first 14 points before UNLV took a 11-7 lead. A Woods solo block brought UNM within one at 11-10, but the Rebels answered to go ahead 15-10 and continued to lead in the 25-15 set score.
Biassou closed the match with four kills in the fourth set with Woods accounting for two solo blocks and an assisted block.
UNM’s record now stands at 17-9, 8-7 in the Mountain West with three matches in the regular season remaining. The Lobos host San Diego State on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. for Senior Day. UNM will recognize four student-athletes on Saturday in Chloe Clark, Hayley Torres, Kassie McGill and Mmachi Nwoke before the match.