Lobos Open MW Tournament with UNLV
LAS VEGAS, Nev.– What the Lobo volleyball team has worked towards all season is finally here. At the beginning of the season, UNM made it a goal to be playing volleyball in late November at the Mountain West Conference Tournament, and on Wednesday at 5 p.m. MT against UNLV, that dream will be realized.
The quarterfinal match, as will all matches, will be streamed on the Mountain West Network.
UNM enters the tournament 20-9 on the season (11-7 MW) and as the fifth seed in the tournament, while also on a three-match winning streak and with momentum after getting sensational production from Kaitlynn Biassou and Uxue Guereca at the outside hitter position, Avital Jaloba and Elizabeth Woods at the middle blocker position, Alena Moldan at the libero position and Melissa Walden at the setter position.
Last week, Guereca tallied 45 kills, two service aces, 20 digs six total blocks and a total of 50.0 points, an average of 5.0 kills per set, 2.22 digs per set and 5.56 points per set. She hit .452 in both matches and as a result of her performance, earned the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week honor. Biassou tallied double-digit kills in both matches last week as well, hitting .542 with 15 kills against Fresno State and 12 kills against Air Force. Jaloba and Woods were a wall at the net in the previous two matches with Jaloba recording a total of 11 assisted blocks, an average of 1.22 blocks per set, and Woods with two solo blocks and five assisted blocks. Moldan averaged 3.11 digs per set with 14 in each match. Walden averaged 7.22 assists per set with 33 against Air Force and 32 against Fresno State.
To date, the Lobos have won a conference-high eight MW weekly conference honors, with Biassou named MW Offensive Player of the Week twice (Aug. 30 and Oct. 11), Moldan named MW Defensive Player of the Week three times (Aug. 30, Oct. 11 and Nov. 1), Woods named MW Freshman of the Week twice (Sept. 6 and Nov. 1) and the aforementioned Guereca earning MW Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 22).
Also of note, a couple of Lobos are on the verge of career milestones, with Moldan four digs away from 1000 career digs and Biassou 10.5 points away from 1000 career points.
In what has already been a defining season for the Lobo volleyball program in number of overall wins and in conference, UNM looks to continue that on Wednesday and to re-write even more history.