LOS ANGELES – The Aggies returned to the win column on Saturday afternoon as they wrapped up competition at the Trojan Challenge.
 
NM State (7-4, 0-0 WAC) took out Milwaukee (1-9, 0-0 Horizon) in four sets after dropping matches on Thursday and Friday.
 
"I like the way we bounced back today," noted Head Coach Mike Jordan. "We passed the ball much better this afternoon and that really made a difference."
 
As a team, the Aggies posted better numbers than the Panthers in kill (64-51), hitting percentage (.267-.181), digs (79-69) and blocks (13-8). Individually, four Aggies reached double-digit kill including Katie Birtcil who led the way with 15 kills. Birtcil also tallied a double-double as she finished the match one dig shy of 20 digs.
 
Rylee Fay also played a big in the success of the NM State offense as she compiled 34 assists in the match.
 
Defensively, the Aggies were led at the net by freshman Taylor Snow who finished the match with seven blocks. Meanwhile, Darian Markham was dominant on the back row as she finished with 29 digs.
 
SET ONE
Following a four-point run that was capped off with a combo block from Snow and Mari Sharp in the first game, the Aggies grabbed onto a 7-4 lead.
 
After the Panthers battled back to even the score at 17 before the Aggies added four unanswered points to their score – including kills from Aggie veterans Birtcil and Mosher.
 
Leading 24-23, Sharp would take a set from Bianca Perez to give the Aggies the narrow victory in the opening set.
 
SET TWO
The Aggies opened the second set in dominant fashion as they jumped out to a 5-0 lead that would eventually turn into a 12-5 advantage after Birtcil and Shelton recorded back-to-back kills.
 
NM State would extend its lead to nine points after rattling off five straight points to go ahead 20-11. The run was capped off by a pair of kills from outside hitter Molly Johnson.
 
Then, Alana Embry, who returned to action on Friday against San Jose State after sitting out much of the season with an injury, tallied a kill to give the Aggies a 25-17 win.
 
SET THREE
With the start of the set going back-and-forth, the two sides found themselves tied at 8-8 early in the third game.
 
However, the Panthers were then able to earn a 19-13 advantage after scoring four-straight points.
 
The Aggies would only get as close as three points later on in the set as Milwaukee went on to win its first set of the match, 25-20.
 
SET FOUR
After falling behind 3-1, the Aggies turned on the pressure as an ace from Perez finished off a three-point run to give the Aggies a 7-4 lead.
 
Milwaukee would respond and would have the Aggies on the ropes as they were threatening to force a fifth set after taking a 16-12 lead.
 
NM State would then throw a haymaker as they scored 11 of the next 12 points to go out front 21-17. The run included kills from Birtcil, Sharp and Whitekettle while Mosher, Sharp, Snow and Whitekettle also added blocks.
 
This would ultimately be enough to propel the Aggies to a fourth-set victory – winning 25-20 to finish the Trojan Challenge on a high note.
 
MATCH NOTABLES

• Four Aggies reached double-digit kills for the first time since the regular-season finale from last year when NM State knocked off Chicago State in four sets on Nov. 13, 2021.
• As a team, the Aggies recorded a season-high 79 digs to mark the most digs in a match since Oct. 7, 2021 when they tallied 83 in a win over Chicago State.
• Mike Jordan's squad also achieved a season-best mark in blocks (13) to note the highest total since Oct. 16, 2021 when they recorded 14 blocks against Grand Canyon.
• Darian Markham posted a season-high 29 digs to finish just three digs shy of her career-best mark.
• Taylor posted a career-high seven blocks in the win. This total is also tied for the most by an Aggie this season.
• Anji Viswanathan recorded the first block of her freshman season.
• Ryle Fay tallied a career-high 34 digs to best her previous career mark of 33 by one dig.
• Jayde Shelton matched her best offensive performance of the season as she finished with five kills for the second time this season and second in the last four contests. She also managed a career-best three blocks.
• For the third time this season, Molly Johnson finished with double-digit kill figures as she posted 10 against the Panthers.
• Katie Birtcil posted the second double-double of her junior campaign as she finished with 15 kills and a career-best 19 digs.
• Mari Sharp was the second Aggie to finish with a double-double on the day – finishing with season bests in both kills (13) and digs (12). The Albuquerque, N.M., native also collected a career-high four blocks on Saturday.

UP NEXT
The Aggies will head back home to begin WAC play as they enter a stretch of four-straight home matches beginning with a tilt against UT Rio Grande Valley in the Pan American Center on Thursday, Sept. 22. Thursday's match will get underway at 6 p.m.