LAS CRUCES, N.M. – New Mexico State volleyball welcomes CSU Bakersfield and Grand Canyon for a pair of matches at the Pan American Center this weekend. NM State takes on CSUB at 6 p.m. MT on Thursday, Oct. 10 before hosting GCU on Saturday, Oct. 21at 1 p.m. Saturday's match against the Lopes is also the Junior Aggie Day for those enrolled in the JAC.
GET CONNECTED
To stay connected with the volleyball team and catch all of the up-to-date information and breaking news, follow the Aggies on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, @NMStateVBall.
WHERE TO WATCH
Fans can catch the matches against CSU Bakersfield live on FOX Sports Arizona PLUS and FOX College Sports Pacific, which features
Adam Young handling the play-by-play and Kelsi Meredith providing the color commentary. The match against Grand Canyon can be viewed live on FOX Sports Arizona PLUS. Both NM State matches can also be streamed on the
WAC Digital Network.
LAST TIME OUT
New Mexico State defeated California Baptist in a four-set match on Monday. After dropping the opening set, 25-19, the Aggies came back to take the next sets 25-20, 25-22, 25-17.
Savannah Davison and Natalie 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. Julianna Salanoa posted the first double-double of her career, recording 10 kills and 11 block assists. The junior's performance currently ranks second all-time in the NM State record books for block assists in a four-set match.
WHERE IN THE WAC
NM State leads the conference in hitting percentage (.265), opponent hitting percentage (.097), and blocks (3.05). Nationally, the Crimson and White are first for opponent hitting percentage and third for blocks.
Megan Hart ranks first in the league with a .435 hitting clip and the redshirt senior is also third in blocks (1.06). Salanoa leads the WAC with 1.45 blocks and places fourth with a .332 hitting percentage. Davison ranks second for points (3.95) and third in kills (3.45) while Mikels is sixth in aces (0.31) and seventh for assists (5.80).
In conference matches alone, the Aggies hold the top spot for hitting percentage (.265), opponent hitting percentage (.090) and blocks (3.50).
Individually, Salanoa comes in first for blocks (1.93) and hitting percentage (.395). Hart follows closely behind in second with a .420 hitting clip and third with 1.21 blocks. Davison is second points (4.46) while also coming in fifth for kills (3.71) and sixth in aces (0.36). Ashley Anselmo is second with 1.29 blocks per set while Analyssa Acosta comes in seventh with 3.64 digs. Mikels (5.50) and Krysten Garrison (5.36) are eighth and ninth, respectively, for assists per set.
SCOUTING THE 'RUNNERS
CSU Bakersfield enters the match at 7-9 for the season and 2-2 in WAC play. The Roadrunners are eighth in the league with a .161 hitting percentage and 10.81 assists per set.
Individually, Brooke Boiseau paces CSUB with a .277 hitting clip, which ranks 10th in the league. Setter Sidney Wicks guides the offense, averaging 5.39 assists per set which puts the redshirt junior ninth in the WAC.
LOOKING AT THE LOPES
Grand Canyon comes into the weekend at 13-3 on the season with a 3-1 record against conference opponents. The Lopes won their first three WAC matches before falling to Utah Valley in four-sets. As a team, GCU sits atop the league standings for digs (16.08) and rank second with a .233 hitting clip and a .187 opponent hitting percentage.
Annabelle Kubinski is hitting .351 during her sophomore campaign, ranking third in the WAC. Teagan DeFalco posts 4.45 digs per set, putting the libero in third in the league. Yeny Murillo sits in ninth for points per set, averaging 3.40.
COMING UP: BACK IN WACTION
Following the weekend, NM State heads to Kansas City and Chicago State. The Aggies face the Roos on Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. before taking on the Cougars at 11 a.m. on Oct. 19.
