RIVERSIDE, Calif.– New Mexico State battled California Baptist at Van Dyne Gym in a Western Athletic Conference match on Monday night. The Aggies took down the Lancers 19-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-17 to remain undefeated in league play.
"I was happy to see us overcome a rough first set," head coach Mike Jordan said. "I was pleased with the attack effort. We made some good choices and we were smarter when we needed to be on offensive."
HOW IT HAPPENED
Early in the opening set, NM State (13-3, 4-0 WAC) battled point-for-point with CBU (7-10, 1-3 WAC) but the Crimson and White trailed the Lancers 15-11 at the media timeout. Following the break, New Mexico State looked to rally following the break but the squad allowed an ace to the opposition and Jordan called a timeout with the Aggies trailing 18-13. The NM State squad attempted a comeback and a kill from Megan Hart brought the team within three late in the set but the team was unable to find its rhythm and fell 25-19.
The Aggies jumped out to hold the 11-7 advantage early in the second set following a four-point run that included a block by Ashley Anselmo and Julianna Salanoa. The lead quickly dissipated when the Lancers posted a four-point run but a kill from Hart snapped the rally and put New Mexico State ahead 16-14. The teams battled back-and-forth and a kill by Salanoa put the squad up 20-16 before the opposition used its final timeout. Late in the set, Anselmo scored to give the Aggies set point before Hart put away the 25-20 victory.
In the third set, the Aggies maintained their momentum from the previous set and took a 14-10 lead following a solo block by Anselmo. After a timeout by California Baptist, NM State allowed the Lancers to score two-straight and Jordan called a timeout with his team up 16-13. New Mexico State remained in control and an ace by Halle Razo forced the opposition to take its final timeout with the Crimson and White leading 19-13. CBU did not go away quietly and Jordan used a timeout following an ace by the California Baptist, which cut the Aggie lead to a pair. The Crimson and White battled back-and-fourth late in the set but Hart scored for NM State to give the squad set point before a kill from Savannah Davison allowed New Mexico State to take the third set 25-22.
The Aggies got off to a hot start and, after Natalie Mikels served an ace, the Lancers burned a timeout with the Crimson and White ahead 11-7. The team continued to dominate late with a block by Hart and Davison putting NM State up 19-9. However, the CBU squad rallied with a four-point run before Jordan used a timeout. The teams battled back-and-forth following the break but a kill from Hart began a four-point run that closed out the 25-17 victory in the final set.
BY THE NUMBERS
New Mexico State recorded 59 kills while hitting .302 for the match. The Crimson and White also recorded 64 digs, 52 assists and 17 team blocks. Davison and Mikels recorded double-doubles in the victory with the outside hitter notching 17 kills and 14 digs and the setter tallying 22 assists and 16 digs. Salanoa recorded a double-double of her own and her 11 block assists rank second all-time in the Aggie record books for a four-set match.
The Aggies return to the Pan American Center for a pair of conference contests. NM State faces CSU Bakersfield on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 6 p.m. MT before taking on Grand Canyon on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 1 p.m.
