LAS CRUCES, N.M. – New Mexico State women's volleyball team came into the Borderland Classic focused to win, and following a hard-fought five-set loss to Oklahoma the first night, the Aggies came on strong winning two matches Friday, Sept. 11.
 
The Aggies dominated Brown early for a clean three-win at 25-20, 25-9 and 25-17, much as they had done earlier that morning with Robert Morris.
 
However the wins came at a cost. Just 15 minutes into the first set, senior outside hitter Andrea "Andy" Tauai of Tauranga, New Zealand/Hillsborough suffered an injury to her left pinky finger, that caused her to leave the game.
 
Coach Mike Jordan said Tauai's injury is a blow to team because she is a player who brings a variety of skills and abilities.
 
"Andy getting injured has definitely hurt us," Jordan said. "She is such a multi-dimensional leader."
 
Coupled with freshman setter Brianna Ainsworth also suffering an elbow injury earlier in the day, Jordan said the team lost some of its power.
 
"Everybody's got to pick up the slack," Jordan said. "It has not been a good day in terms of injuries."
 
The Aggies forged ahead in the first set with Gwen Murphy of Elfrida, Ariz./Valley Union fueling five of the team's 11 kills. Murphy also shined in the second set – at one point racking up two quick kills by following a hard slam with delicate tip over the net.
 
The Aggies came on so strong the second set that at one point they had score 11 straight points before the Bears were finally able to get back the ball.
 
The third set saw senior Bradley Nash of Kayenta, Ariz./Monument Valley displaying her deft tips to score kills, along with a couple of slams, for a total of eight kills. Freshman Tatyana Battle of Albuquerque, N.M./Cibola continued to impress in all three sets, but especially in the third also with eight kills.
 
The third set also gave Nathalie Castellanos, a sophomore from Vado, N.M./Gadsden and Sash-Lee Thomas, a sophomore from Pottsville, Pa., with spirited kills before Murphy stepped in to finish the night, totally 10 kills before the sent was over.
 
The win against Brown puts NM State's record at 7-3, while setting the Ivy League Browns back to 2-3.
 
With the last of four matches over three days ending against Denver on Saturday, Jordan admitted the team is a little fatigued, but it's more of a mental fatigue for the uninjured players because of the intensity of the game they play.
 
"I like this team a lot," Jordan said. "They are a real competitive group of players."
 
Jordan's looking for their competitiveness to pull them through their match against Denver at noon Saturday in the Pan American Center. Denver is 7-2, after falling to Oklahoma Friday at the Pan American Center.
 
++NM State ++
 
 
Remaining Borderland Classic Schedule
Saturday, Sept. 12
12 Noon              Denver at NM State
2:30 p.m.            Robert Morris vs. Brown (at the Pan American Center)
7:00 p.m.            Brown vs. Denver (at the Pan American Center)
 
12 Noon              LAS CRUCES, N.M. – New Mexico State women's volleyball team came into the Borderland Classic focused to win, and following a hard-fought five-set loss to Oklahoma the first night, the Aggies came on strong winning two matches Friday, Sept. 11.
 
The Aggies dominated Brown early for a clean three-win at 25-20, 25-9 and 25-17, much as they had done earlier that morning with Robert Morris.
 
However the wins came at a cost. Just 15 minutes into the first set, senior outside hitter Andrea "Andy" Tauai of Tauranga, New Zealand/Hillsborough suffered an injury to her left pinky finger, that caused her to leave the game.
 
Coach Mike Jordan said Tauai's injury is a blow to team because she is a player who brings a variety of skills and abilities.
 
"Andy getting injured has definitely hurt us," Jordan said. "She is such a multi-dimensional leader."
 
Coupled with freshman setter Brianna Ainsworth also suffering an elbow injury earlier in the day, Jordan said the team lost some of its power.
 
"Everybody's got to pick up the slack," Jordan said. "It has not been a good day in terms of injuries."
 
The Aggies forged ahead in the first set with Gwen Murphy of Elfrida, Ariz./Valley Union fueling five of the team's 11 kills. Murphy also shined in the second set – at one point racking up two quick kills by following a hard slam with delicate tip over the net.
 
The Aggies came on so strong the second set that at one point they had score 11 straight points before the Bears were finally able to get back the ball.
 
The third set saw senior Bradley Nash of Kayenta, Ariz./Monument Valley displaying her deft tips to score kills, along with a couple of slams, for a total of eight kills. Freshman Tatyana Battle of Albuquerque, N.M./Cibola continued to impress in all three sets, but especially in the third also with eight kills.
 
The third set also gave Nathalie Castellanos, a sophomore from Vado, N.M./Gadsden and Sash-Lee Thomas, a sophomore from Pottsville, Pa., with spirited kills before Murphy stepped in to finish the night, totally 10 kills before the sent was over.
 
The win against Brown puts NM State's record at 7-3, while setting the Ivy League Browns back to 2-3.
 
With the last of four matches over three days ending against Denver on Saturday, Jordan admitted the team is a little fatigued, but it's more of a mental fatigue for the uninjured players because of the intensity of the game they play.
 
"I like this team a lot," Jordan said. "They are a real competitive group of players."
 
Jordan's looking for their competitiveness to pull them through their match against Denver at noon Saturday in the Pan American Center. Denver is 7-2, after falling to Oklahoma Friday at the Pan American Center.
  
 
Remaining Borderland Classic Schedule
Saturday, Sept. 12
12 Noon              Denver at NM State
2:30 p.m.            Robert Morris vs. Brown (at the Pan American Center)
7:00 p.m.            Brown vs. Denver (at the Pan American Center)
 
12 Noon              Oklahoma at UTEP
 
 Oklahoma at UTEP