COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The New Mexico State Aggies answered the challenge Friday night, rallying from two sets down to grab a 3-2 victory over Wichita State in the Texas A&M Invitational at Reed Arena.
 
The Aggies (4-1) posted the win 20-25, 23-25, 25-21, 30-28, 15-13 over the Shockers (3-2).
 
"This was a great win for us," said NM State head coach Mike Jordan. "Wichita State is picked to win the Missouri Valley Conference and was receiving votes in the national poll. This win really says a lot.
 
"I love the fight in the team right now. Last week's Arizona State loss taught us a lot. If we didn't play ASU, we don't win tonight."
 
The Aggies only loss this season was the tough five-setter to the No. 16 Sun Devils.
 
NM State freshman outside hitter Tatyana Battle of Albuquerque, N.M./Cibola paced the Aggies with her first career 20-kill match to go with three blocks and a service ace.
 
Aggie senior outside hitter Nathalie Castellanos of Vado, N.M./Gadsen added 15 kills and hit .375 with three blocks, while senior outside hitter Gwen Murphy of Elfrida, Ariz./Valley Union added 13 kills.
 
NM State had to a strong character to beat the Shockers, dropping the first two sets and falling behind 10-7 to open the third. But the Ags battled back to take the lead on a pair of five-point serving runs.
 
Murphy got the game winning kill to take the third set 25-21.
 
"We made a few adjustments and started going to the outside hitters," said Jordan. "We also started blocking the ball. We only had one block in the first two sets."
 
The Aggies ended the night with 10.
 
The fourth set was brought out the Aggie pride, but not before it looked bleak for the Crimson and White.
 
Trailing most of the set, the Aggies pulled back to within two at 19-17 before the Shockers went on a 5-3 run to hold a 24-20 lead and serving match point.
 
But the Aggies used a rally capped by a kill from senior Bradley Nash to keep the match alive.
 
Murphy served four straight points to grab an Aggie lead at 25-24, and the set and match swung in the balance.
 
With the score knotted at 28-all, the Aggies used an assisted block from Castellanos and sophomore Sasha-Lee Thomas to take control. Sophomore Jordan Abelos won the pivotal set with an ace for a 30-28 triumph.
 
The fifth set was a see-saw match with Wichita State climbing from a two-point deficit to tie it at 13-all.
 
Once again it was the senior Nash that collected the kill for the 14-13 lead. The Aggies got the win on Shocker Shimen Fayad's hitting error on the final point.
 
"Battle certainly didn't play like a freshman tonight," Jordan said of her performance. But he praised his senior leadership as well.
 
"Gwen came through for us and Bradley Nash made some great plays as well."
 
The Aggies don't have much time to enjoy this win, as they have a short night before facing Abilene Christian on Saturday at 9 a.m. Mountain time. ACU (0-4) lost to Wichita State 3-0 in the first match of the tournament on Friday.