UNM Closes Non-Conference at NAU Friday

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— After defeating Northern Arizona at home on Wednesday night in four sets, the Lobo volleyball team completes the home-and-home series, and the non-conference portion of their schedule, at NAU on Friday evening.

First serve is set for 7:30 p.m. MT with the match available to watch on ESPN+ or follow through live stats.

Wednesday’s win was a complete team effort as Kaitlynn Biassou, Avital Jaloba and Kali Wolf each finished with double-digit kills, with Jaloba finishing with a season-high 12 and hit .524 (12-1-21). Anilee Sher added a match-high 44 assists to her season tally, the fourth time this season that the setter has finished with 40 or more assists.

Three Lobos tallied double-doubles, including 11 digs and a match-high 23 kills by Biassou, 12 kills and 12 digs for Wolf and 10 assists (tying her career high) and a match-high 27 digs for Alena Moldan. Further, Biassou became the 15th Lobo all-time to reach the 1000th career kill milestone with a kill in the second set after registering 11 in the first set.

Freshmen played a large role in Wednesday’s win as Madison Blanco added seven digs, two assists and a service ace in four sets, while Arianna Jamerson had six kills and hit .667 in the match and Lea Zurlinden contributed eight kills and a team-high four assisted blocks.

As a team, the Lobos hit a season-best .306 (68-19-160), with 78 digs, 64 assists and eight service aces with Biassou, Jamerson and Sher each registering two.

While the Lobos dominated in the first set with a 25-11 score, the second through fourth sets were all determined by two points with the Lobos winning sets two and four 25-23 and the Lumberjacks winning the third set 25-23.

In addition, it was the third-straight match between the two teams that ended in four sets, and the Lobos improved to 15-10 all-time against the Lumberjacks.

With one match to go before conference play starts, Sher leads the Mountain West in service aces per set and has the second-most aces at 17 in 34 sets, with Moldan second in the conference in digs per set at 4.63. Sher is also third in the conference in assists per set at 9.62. Collectively, the Lobos are third in the MW in opponent hitting percentage (.172) and in service aces per set (1.92), and second in digs per set (15.37).

Following Friday’s match, UNM opens conference at Boise State on Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. with the next home match scheduled against Wyoming on Sept. 29 at 6:30 p.m.

LOBOS IN THE NEWS
Following UNM’s win on Wednesday night, the Lobos were recognized nationally by two different outlets.

Volleyball Magazine: NCAA volleyball: Louisville tops UK on ESPN; Illinois, K-State, New Mexico all win 

NCAA Volleyball

The Lobos sure know how to throw a party 😎🪩#NCAAWVB x 🎥 @UNMLoboVB pic.twitter.com/G34CGUOqD8

— NCAA Women’s Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) September 15, 2022