Lobos Take Hot Streak on the Road for Final Week of MW Schedule

After another 2-0 week that closed out their home schedule, the New Mexico Lobos (13-13, 6-10 MW) take a four-match win streak on the road for the final week of Mountain West play, facing San Diego State (17-9, 9-7 MW) on Thursday and UNLV (13-14, 6-10 MW) on Saturday.

After snapping a nine-match skid with a four-set win over Nevada on Nov. 7, the Lobos haven’t stopped rolling — they’ve outblocked opponents 61-33 over their last four matches and held them to .114 hitting, the lowest opponent average in the MW in that span. After a four-set Tuesday night victory over Air Force (25-14, 21-25, 25-23, 25-18) before dispatching Boise State in four (24-26, 25-14, 25-20, 25-14) on Senior Night Thursday. Thursday’s win kept UNM alive in the race for a MW Tournament berth until the Broncos clinched the sixth seed with a win over Air Force on Saturday.

Instead, UNM will be looking to close out the season on a high note against the Rebels — who stifled UNM in a four-set loss at home to open MW play in September — before looking for a seventh-straight win over the Aztecs after a dramatic five-set win for the Lobos at home in their first meeting.

The Lobos leaned on a dominant effort at the net last week to take control down the stretch in both matches, racking up the fourth-most blocks in the nation (30 TB) in matches played last week while leading the MW in opponent hitting (.080), digs per set (19.25) and blocks per set (3.75) for the second week in a row. They’ve notched double-digit team blocks and outblocked opponents in five consecutive matches for the first time this season. All year, UNM has ranked among the best in the Mountain West at keeping rallies going — the Lobos have held opponents to .197 hitting on the season so far and enter the week ranked in the Top 100 in the nation in digs per set (85th, 15.55), blocks per set (57th, 2.46) and attacks per set (71st, 36.26). They’re leading the Mountain West in digs for a third consecutive season with 15.55 per set, nearly a dig per set more than No. 2 Boise State (14.66) — and now lead the league in blocks per set in conference matches (2.36).

Liepa Lavickyte earned MW Defensive Player of the Week efforts for the second week in a row after once again leading the league in blocks per set (1.88) — she now ranks No. 22 in the nation in blocks per set (1.39) and leads the conference. She and Elizabeth Woods are tied for No. 78 in the nation in total blocks with 115 each.

FOLLOW THE ACTION
Both matches will be streamed via the MW Network at GoLobos.com/Watch, with live stats and all other matchday essentials available at GoLobos.com/FollowVB. Follow @UNMLoboVB on IG, X and Facebook for match coverage, promotional information, updates, behind-the-scenes content and more.

at San Diego State (17-9, 9-7 MW)
Nov. 21 | 7 p.m. MT | San Diego, Calif.

at UNLV (13-14, 6-10 MW)
Nov. 23 | 2 p.m. MT | Las Vegas, Nev.

ALL-TIME SERIES
• UNM is 20-32 against UNLV all-time, snapping a seven-match losing streak to the Rebels that dated back to 2019 with their sweep of the Rebels in Vegas on Oct. 5 last season. The Lobos fell to the Rebels in four sets in their next meeting at the Johnson Center on Oct. 28 but had the last laugh at the MW Tournament in Vegas after defeating them in five sets to reach the conference semis. In their first meeting, UNLV handled the Lobos in Albuquerque to dispatch them in four (22-25,17-25,25-22,16-25).

• The Lobos are 26-44 against San Diego State all-time but have had better luck against the Aztecs recently — they’ve won six straight over SDSU, four of which were at home. None of prior last nine meetings between the two teams had gone to a fifth set until this season, when the Lobos beat SDSU in five (25-22,27-25,24-26,14-25,16-14).

• The Lobos went 4-1 against SDSU and UNLV last season – when UNM defeated both teams on the road in the same week in October, it was the first time they’d done so since 2010.

• UNM is winner of six in a row against the Aztecs but lost eight in a row before that. The Lobos have won two of the last four against UNLV but lost nine in a row prior to that.

LIEPA LAVICKYTE NAMED MW DEFENSIVE POTW (AGAIN)
After leading the Mountain West in total blocks for the second week in a row after another 2-0 week at home for New Mexico Volleyball, Liepa Lavickyte has been named Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks, the league announced Monday.

It’s the third MW Defensive Player of the Week award of the season for the Lobos, who continued their recent resurgence with a pair of four-set wins over Air Force on Tuesday (25-14,21-25,25-23,25-18) and Boise State on Thursday (24-26,25-14,25-20,25-14 ). It’s the second weekly honor of Lavickyte’s career.

Lavickyte racked up 15 TB (1.88/s) last week to lead the Mountain West in that category for the second week in a row as the Lobos extended their win streak to four matches. They’ve outblocked opponents in each of their last five matches while surpassing double-digit team blocks in each. The Lobos led the league in blocks per set as a team (3.75) as well as digs per set (19.25) and opponent hitting average (.080).

The redshirt sophomore by way of Norway finished with 7 BA and one block solo against Air Force on Tuesday before recording seven more block assists on Thursday vs. Boise State, adding 13 kills on .393 hitting — the ninth-best average among MW attackers last week — while finishing with 10.5 points in both matches (2.63 points per set).

LAST WEEK
The Lobos kept the good vibes going with two more wins at home, stifling Air Force in four (25-14,21-25,25-23,25-18) to sweep the season series with the Falcons on Tuesday before getting revenge on Boise State with another four-set win (24-26,25-14,25-20,25-14) on Senior Night Thursday.

• The Lobos leaned on a dominant effort at the net last week to take control down the stretch in both matches, racking up the fourth-most blocks in the nation (30 TB) in matches played last week while leading the MW in opponent hitting (.080), digs per set (19.25) and blocks per set (3.75) for the second week in a row. They’ve notched double-digit team blocks and outblocked opponents in five consecutive matches for the first time this season.
• Liepa Lavickyte (21 BA, 2.33 blocks per set) was named MW Defensive Player of the Week for the second week in a row after leading the Lobos in blocks over the last week. She now leads the conference in blocks per set on the season
• Lauryn Payne led the Lobos in kills with 34 in her most efficient week this season, hitting at a .298 clip.
• Kialah Jefferson notched her 13th double-double of the season on Tuesday (16 kills, 14 digs) and finished with 24 kills and 25 digs on the week.
• The Lobos averaged 13.50 kills per set and hit .233 as a team last week — both improvements from the week prior — with their best performance coming against Boise State, where they hit a season-high .268.
• Madeleine Miller produced 75 of UNM’s 101 assists across the eight sets — the third-most assists per set in the Mountain West last week (9.38) while adding 30 digs. She’s now recorded a double-double in four consecutive matches to reach 14 double-doubles on the season.
• Falanika Danielson led the Lobos’ defense in the back row with 33 total digs (4.13 per set), dishing out five assists and serving up one ace.

TUESDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (W, 3-1 vs. Air Force)

🏐 Highlights from @UNMLoboVB‘s 3-1 win over Air Force!#MakingHerMark | #MWVB | #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/O5NQjkaWvp

— Mountain West (@MountainWest) November 13, 2024

THURSDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (W, 3-1 vs. Boise State)

🏐 Highlights from @UNMLoboVB‘s 3-1 win over Boise State! #MakingHerMark | #MWVB | #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/vRWmHFpeC7

— Mountain West (@MountainWest) November 15, 2024

LAST TIME VS. AIR FORCE (Oct. 1)
New Mexico Volleyball put together yet another resilient effort to dispatch Air Force (2-12, 1-2 MW) in five sets (25-23, 24-26, 25-23, 23-25,15-13) in a back-and-forth midweek match at Cadet East Gym on Saturday, winning their second five-set battle in a row after rallying to knock off San Diego State the Saturday prior.

Lauryn Payne matched her previous career-high she set on Saturday against San Diego State with 23 kills to lead the Lobos for the sixth straight match while hitting at a team-high .302. Kialah Jefferson poured in 22 more while picking up 14 digs for her sixth double-double of the season, as did Madeleine Miller, who surpassed the 50-assist mark for the first time in her career with 54 in total while recording her eighth double-double of the season with 12 digs.

“Thrilled to have gone on the road and come back with a win,” said UNM Head Coach Jon Newman-Gonchar post-match. “A MWC win on the road is a great way to start the week. Hats off to a great AFA team — they fought to the very end.

“Excited for the team to pull out such a gritty exciting win and now onto a powerful Boise State squad on Saturday!”

Elizabeth Woods added nine more kills to go with a solo block and a block assist, with Jada Bouyer teaming up on a team-high four block assists while connecting on seven kills. Liepa Lavickyte supplied four more to go with another solo block and two block assists.

Falanika Danielson helped the Lobos outdig the Falcons 94-80 with a season-high 27 digs — her fifth time surpassing 20 digs this season — with Madison Blanco (13 digs) and Giselle Groe (12) also both cracking double-digits. Blanco served up UNM’s lone service ace of the match, with both her and Groe producing an assist each.

LAST TIME VS. BOISE STATE (Oct. 5)
New Mexico Volleyball couldn’t overcome an onslaught at the net and the service line from Boise State in Saturday’s Mountain West road matchup as they fell in straight sets.

The Lobos (9-5, 2-2 MW) held the Broncos (10-5, 2-2 MW) to .208 hitting on the match and kept them below .220 in all three sets but were held to .027 over the final two sets to stifle their hopes of turning the tide. In total, Boise outblocked New Mexico 11-5 and served up 12 aces to the Lobos’ one to stay in control even after a 10-2 UNM run made it 11-6 in the second.

Lauryn Payne (10 kills) notched double-digit kills for the fourth match in a row and 11th time this season to lead UNM on the attack, with the Lobos also getting an efficient nine-kill outing from Elizabeth Woods (.294) to go with six from Jada Bouyer and four from Kialah Jefferson. Bouyer and Jefferson put away all 10 of their combined kills in the first two frames, with Woods and Payne combining for six in the third.

Madeleine Miller collected 24 of the Lobos’ 27 assists and came up with a team-high three block assists – Woods and Liepa Lavickyte both finished with two each.

Falanika Danielson picked up 10 of UNM’s 45 digs in total, with Giselle Groe adding nine more and Madison Blanco finishing with six to go with five each from Miller and Jefferson.

LOBOS ON THE BLOCK

• UNM currently leads the Mountain West in blocks per set in conference matches (2.56) and have notched double-digit team blocks while outblocking opponents in five consecutive matches for the first time this season.
• Elizabeth Woods, the team’s senior middle blocker and lone returning starter from 2023, continues to anchor the Lobos at the net with a team-high 115 total blocks (16 BS, 86 BA) in 104 sets. Woods has posted five or more blocks in 13 matches this season and has hit above .300 in 11. She’s also added 18 service aces to her repertoire after never attempting a serve in a collegiate match prior to this season.
• Liepa Lavickyte has fully caught up to Woods with 115 total blocks of her own (11 BS, 104 BA) on the season and earning MW Defensive Player of the Week honors in back-to-back weeks after after pacing the conference in blocks per set once again. She’s finished with multiple blocks in all but two matches so far this year and now leads the league in blocks per set (1.39).

DANIELSON DIGGIN’ IT
Grad transfer Falanika Danielson has been a standout in the back row for the Lobos. After transferring from Temple, Danielson has anchored the defense, accumulating 429 digs at a rate of 4.13 digs per set. She’s led the team in digs in 21 of UNM’s 26 matches and has reached double-digit digs in 23 matches this season, including eight 20+ dig performances. Her efforts have earned her MW Defensive Player of the Week honors, and she currently ranks No. 1 among Mountain West individual active leaders in digs per set heading into the Lobos’ upcoming matches.

JOHNSON CENTER IS BOOMING
The Lobos have seen an increase in attendance in each season since 2019 — not counting the 2020-21 season that limited attendance due to the COVID pandemic — and UNM’s average attendance of 841 per home game last season was its highest since 2016 (1,248) and highest of Newman-Gonchar’s tenure. Saturday’s Senior Day brought in 1,589 fans to the Johnson Center – the highest-attended Lobo Volleyball game of the season. In 2023 overall (including three games at The Pit), the Lobos’ average of 956 fans per game is the highest since 2016 – including seven games with over 1,000 in attendance.

Through 13 home matches this season, UNM averaged 806 fans a match, including a season-high 1,387 in attendance on Sept. 17 against New Mexico State — the second-most attended Lobo Volleyball match in the last eight seasons and sixth-most in the last decade.

NCAA/CONFERENCE STATS UDPATE
As of Nov. 17, UNM ranks among the Top 100 in NCAA Division I in three statistical categories:
• Blocks per Set: 29th nationally (2.56)
• Digs per Set: 70th nationally (15.84)
• Team Attacks per Set: 66th nationally (36.44)
• Opponent Hitting: 80th (.187)

Within the Mountain West Conference, the Lobos rank in the Top Five in four categories:
• Digs per Set: 1st (15.55)
• Blocks per Set: 1st (2.56)
• Opponent Hitting: 3rd (.187)
• Team Attacks per Set: 1st (36.44)