LAS CRUCES, N.M.  – Playing in their second five-set match of the day, New Mexico State battled with the Pac 12's Arizona Wildcats at the Springhill Suites Invitational but fell in five sets, 25-14, 25-14, 25-27, 21-25, 12-15, at Pan American Center on Friday night.
 
NM State (3-2, 0-0 WAC) dominated the first set, 25-14, hitting .343 while holding the Wildcats (4-1, 0-0 Pac 12) to just .088 hitting. Katie Birtcil was phenomenal in frame, connecting on six kills on nine swings with zero errors.
 
The second set was more of the same with NM State hitting .293 and the Wildcats .026 for a 25-14 win in favor of the Aggies. The two teams battled in the third set with NM State answering the call every time Arizona reached match point but the Wildcats eventually prevailed 27-25 in a thrilling frame.
 
However, the third set was also the start the of the Jaelyn Hodges show for Arizona as the former top-20 recruit came alive. Hodges was especially effective from the back row and recorded 24 of her 30 kills in the final three sets to lead the Wildcats to victory.
 
Birtcil finished the night with 14 kills while Shaney Lipscomb added 13 and Cat Kelly 12. Mari Sharp (10 kills, 12 digs) recorded her first career double-double and Carly Aigner-Swesey added her second double-double of the day with 28 assists and 10 digs.  Libero Darian Markham recorded a career-high with 26 digs as Keke Holloway notched a career high with two aces.
 
As a team, NM State outhit Arizona .280-.200 but Hodges proved too much to handle late in the match.
 
The Aggies now wrap up the tournament with the Battle of I-10 at UTEP on Sunday, Sept. 5, at 1 p.m. (MT) inside Memorial Gym. Fans unable to make the trip down I-10 can catch all the action on C-USA TV.