LAS CRUCES, N.M. – New Mexico State volleyball began the Wildcat Classic from the McKale Center with a match against Sacramento State on Friday. The Aggies fell to the Hornets 25-19, 19-25, 24-26, 25-20, 15-17 to open the tournament.

"Even if we had won the match, I would not have been happy, based on the effort I saw from the team, today," head coach Mike Jordan said.

HOW IT HAPPENED

NM State (8-2) came out hot, opening the match on a 7-1 run.  Sacramento State (4-7) rallied, cutting the Aggie lead to a pair, but Julianna Salanoa came up with a kill out of the middle to put the team ahead 13-10. The Crimson and White held the momentum late in the set, building a six-point lead before the opposition burned its final timeout. The New Mexico State team allowed a three-point run late but Cat Kelly snapped the rally with a kill to put NM State ahead 23-18. Holding set point, Ashley Anselmo ripped a kill down the line, securing the 25-19 victory for the Aggies in the opening set.

The teams battled back-and-forth in the second set but Jordan called a timeout with New Mexico State trialing 14-11. NM State rallied to creep within a score after a Megan Hart and Lia Mosher posted a block, but the squad allowed a kill by the Hornets to put the team behind by a pair. Trailing 18-15, Jordan used his final timeout but NM State was unable to find a rhythm late and the team dropped the set 25-19.

Despite starting the third set on a 4-0 run, the Aggies fell behind 11-8 following an attack error by the Crimson and White. The team continued to struggle and Jordan called a timeout with the NM State squad trailing 16-12. The Crimson and White continued to battle and late in the set and an ace from Natalie Mikels put the Aggie squad behind 23-22. Sacramento State missed a serve holding set point and Savannah Davison came up with a kill to tie the set. However, New Mexico State gave up the next two points to fall 26-24 in the third set.

The Aggies went point-for-point with Sacramento State but a four-point run that included a pair of blocks for New Mexico State allowed the team to go ahead 14-11.  The teams battled down the stretch and a kill from the backrow by Davison gave NM State the 22-19 advantage. The Aggie squad continued to dominate late and a kill by Hart gave New Mexico State the 25-20 victory.

In the final set, the Aggies kept the game tight and a block by Kelly and Salanoa tied the game 6-6. Battling point-for-point, a kill by Davison gave NM State the 9-8 advantage and a block by Salanoa and Anselmo put the squad ahead by two, forcing the Hornets to use a timeout. A two-point run for the opposition followed the break and Jordan called a timeout of his own. The Aggies scored three-straight to lead 13-10 before New Mexico State allowed a four-point run, which put the opposition at match point before Davison tied the set 14-14. Despite tying the set again at 15-15, team surrendered the final two points of the match and fell 17-15.

BY THE NUMBERS

New Mexico State posted 60 kills and a .252 hitting percentage. NM State also recorded 64 digs and 59 assists in the loss. Davison tallied her third double-double of the season with 18 kills and 14 digs while Hart was second on the team with 14 kills for the match.

The Aggies continues the Wildcat Classic with a match against Arizona at 8 p.m. MT on Friday, Sept. 20. The team closes out the tournament against Alabama State at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21.