NEWARK, Del. – Being 1-0 is never easy. Despite getting outscored by 15 on Friday night, NM State Volleyball pulled out a gutsy win to open Conference USA play. The Aggies fell behind two sets to one before taking the fourth and fifth frames in a thrilling comeback while more than 2,000 miles from home. Delaware (3-7, 0-1), the host, fell in its first-ever CUSA contest, while Mike Jordan's squad improved to 8-6 overall and 1-0 in league action. 
 
Set-by-set: NM State wins 3-2 (13-25, 25-21, 14-25, 25-23, 16-14) 
 
FIRST SET
An early seven-point run from Delaware forced a timeout from Mike Jordan down 9-4 as NM State's kill leader Tess Fuqua exited the match with an injury. A pair of Blue Hen aces highlighted an ensuing 7-1 run that stretched the margin to 16-6. The Aggies never cut the deficit any lower than eight for the remainder of the set while they collectively hit just .087 as a group. Delaware ran away with its first set in CUSA history by a score of 25-13. 
 
SECOND SET
NM State regrouped before set two, hitting .379 and totaling four blocks in the frame. Jaelynn Kohli poured in a pair of kills and a block before Nellie Reese's second ace of the evening put the Aggies in front 6-3 early. A 3-0 Delaware burst brought the hosts within one before yet another three-point stretch knotted the affair at 18 all. Despite the push, NM State never surrendered the lead as Kohli came through with two more kills on back-to-back points. Mia Fox landed a kill to give her squad set point before she teamed up with Kohli for a frame-clinching block at 25-21.  
 
THIRD SET
Kohli came out hot yet again after the break, setting the stage for Bella Castro's fifth ace of the season to pull ahead by two. UD responded by taking seven of the next nine rallies, forcing an Aggie stoppage down 11-8. After late falling down by four, the Crimson & White gave their final push of the stanza, leading a 3-0 run that proved to be too little and too late. The hosts ripped off 11 of the next 12 points, taking the set 25-14.  
 
FOURTH SET
The fourth frame was not only the longest of the night, but the only with multiple lead changes. After Maggie Lightheart and Mia Fox combined for a block, Delaware stopped for its first timeout of the night clinging to an 8-7 lead. Kaylee Peterson led a five-point Aggie run from the service line, dropping in her fifth ace of the season. Katie Funk entered and made her strongest showing of the year, landing five of her season-high six kills in the set. Sandwiched between two of her kills was another joint block from Lightheart and Fox that yet again sent the Blue Hens to their huddle, this time trailing 18-14. The hosts roared back to tie the affair at 22-22 before an attack error and two of Maggie Lightheart's five set kills queued a decisive fifth frame by a 25-23 score.
 
FIFTH SET
After each recorded a kill early in the final set, Jaelynn Kohli combined with Fox for a rejection to pull in front 6-2. A pair of Blue Hen aces would follow, forcing an Aggie timeout up by just one. Nellie Reese's sneaky kill preceded two more from Lightheart on back-to-back points that swelled the margin back to 12-8 in favor of the visitors. The Las Cruces native's 16^th kill of the night came just before a Delaware attack error that handed NM State match point at 14-11. UD shortly responded with a tying ace (14-14) before Kate Sinclair answered with a kill. Makayla Martinez stepped back to the line with her team's fourth match point, delivering with a perfect serve and solidifying the comeback with an ace to win 16-14. 
 
NUMBERS OF NOTE

• NM State now has an all-time mark of 2-0 against Delaware, taking the first match in the series since Dec. 12, 1975. 
• The Aggies improved to 3-1 in five-set matches on the young season, already tallying more wins in such contests than the 2024 squad (2-3). 
• With eight rejections on Friday, the Aggies have now notched eight or more blocks in 12 of 14 matches this season. In 2024, NM State did so in just 16 of 33 outings.
• The Aggies recorded their fourth win with a hitting percentage below .200 on Friday (.185). Last year's club failed to do so, going 0-11 in such outings. 
• Friday's victory was NM State's third when trailing in higher hitting percentage. The 2024 squad went 0-13 when being outhit. 
• Rilen Garcia's 26 assists were her most in a match this season, leading the team for the first time in 2025.
• After setting her career high with six blocks a week ago against Little Rock, Mia Fox led the way with seven rejections on Friday. 
• The sophomore middle blocker also matched her career high with 11 kills in the win, doing so on a .333 clip. 
• Katie Funk picked up six kills in the win, surpassing her previous NCAA high of two. The junior transfer also notched more digs on Friday (five) than her previous career total (three). 
• Nellie Reese was the only Aggie to post two aces on Friday, bringing her total to eight over the past six matches. 
• Jaelynn Kohli's five blocks matched her previous best, doing so while tallying 14 kills on 33 swings. 
• Maggie Lightheart led the Crimson & White with 16 kills in the win, pacing the team for the third time this season.
• The junior also recorded her team-high third double-double of 2025, adding 10 digs in the victory.

• For the fifth straight match, sophomore Makayla Martinez led the Aggies in digs, picking up 12.

 
FROM THE FLOOR
Senior setter Rilen Garcia, after her season-high 26-assist performance: "At the end of the first set, we gathered together and I told the girls that we needed to play for something bigger. Today, that meant playing for Tess. We needed to, as a group, take advantage of our opportunities and work hard every play. I think we became more physical and confident as the match went on, especially as we found our middles Kate Sinclair and Mia Fox. Those two scoring in big moments gave us a lot of momentum. The goal was to play for each other and that showed today."
 
UP NEXT
The series finale is set for Saturday as NM State looks to improve to 2-0 in league play. Both sides will square off once more with first serve slated for 10:00 AM MT (12:00 PM local) from Bob Carpenter Center. The matchup will be streamed live on ESPN+ and available to follow via nmstatesports.com/stats.
 
For complete coverage of NM State Volleyball, follow us on Twitter (@NMStateVBall), Instagram (@NMStateVBall) and like us on Facebook (NM State Volleyball). You can also follow along with Aggie Volleyball via NMStateSports.com.