Aggies Sink Lobos in Four
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – New Mexico Volleyball took an early lead after a blistering first set but fell in four (25-16, 20-25, 22-25, 13-25) to preseason MW favorites Utah State as the Aggies (10-4, 3-0 MW) continued to build momentum over the next three sets Thursday night at the Johnson Center.
The Lobos (9-5, 1-2 MW) now look to get back to .500 in conference play – their homestand continues on Saturday, when they play host to Boise State (7-6, 3-0 MW) at 1 p.m.
BY THE NUMBERS
Kaitlynn Biassou (14 kills) and Athina Dimitriadis (13 kills) supplied 53% of UNM’s kills, with Biassou recording her third consecutive double-double after finishing with a team-high 14 digs. Both served up an ace each.
Uxue Guereca and Elizabeth Woods added six kills each, combining for 11 block assists in the process. Kali Wolf added three more along with eight digs.
Melissa Walden came away with 29 assists and a kill, with freshman Madeleine Miller adding six off the bench.
Six different Lobos recorded at least eight digs along with Biassou and Wolf – Walden (8), Angela Crosetti (9), Guereca (10) and Dimitriadis (8).
THE ACTION
Athina Dimitriadis and Kaitlynn Biassou powered the Lobo attack in the opening set, with both recording four kills to lead six Lobos with multiple. UNM hit a match-high .364 in the first, holding the Aggies to a match-low .077.
When Biassou served up her first ace of the night to extend the lead to 15-10, she had already scored the last two Lobos points with her second and third kills of the set. UNM ripped off a 5-0 run capped off by Walden and Woods’ second team-up of the set on a block to go up 10, and Biassou put things away with her fourth kill for a dominant 25-16 Set One win.
But the Aggies took early leads and held onto them tight over the next three sets, weathering late Lobo runs – including a 7-0 run late in the third – and coming away with three consecutive set wins to keep things from going to a fifth. UNM hit .310 in that third set in which they almost turned the tide, getting within one at 22-23, but was held to .000 hitting in the closeout.
UP NEXT / FOLLOW THE ACTION
The Lobos (9-5, 1-2 MW) play host to Boise State (7-6, 3-0 MW) Saturday at the Johnson Center, set for a 1 p.m. start. Saturday’s match will be broadcast via the Mountain West Network, with live stats available via GoLobos.com/vbstats. Follow @UNMLoboVB on IG, X and Facebook for match day updates, behind-the-scenes content and more.