CARBONDALE, Ill. – NM State Volleyball put together its smoothest operation of the year on Saturday. The Aggies cruised to a three-set victory over Kansas City, improving to 4-2 overall ahead of next weekend's home opener. Maggie Lightheart led the way with 18 kills and 15 digs as her squad posted a new season-high hitting percentage of .242. Zoe Ziegler followed up with 12 kills and four blocks of her own in the triumph.
 
Set-by-set: NM State wins 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-20)
 
FIRST SET
Nellie Reese picked up the Aggies' third ace early on in the affair, taking an 11-8 lead. Several points later, Zoe Ziegler's third kill forced the Roos into a stoppage amid a 5-0 run that swelled the lead to six.  An extended 11-5 push from UMKC knotted the affair at 21-21 before Maggie Lightheart and Ziegler each landed consecutive kills, ending the frame with a 25-21 victory. 
 
SECOND SET
Bella Castro's first ace of the season propelled the Aggies in front 4-1 early and they would never look back. Three ties emerged in the set, but UMKC failed to take a lead in the frame. Ziegler and Lightheart each added six kills in the frame as the duo combined for as many as the entire opposition (12). Following the final deadlock at 17 all, the Crimson & White ripped off an 8-1 run that included Reese's second ace of the afternoon. The burst was capped off with Lightheart, Tess Fuqua and Kate Sinclair landing kills on three straight points, taking a 25-18 set win. 
 
THIRD SET
After falling behind by as many as four, the Roos bounced back with an ace that gave them a 15-14 edge. Three UMKC errors put NM State back in front before Claudia Rossi's second kill of 2025 forced Christi Posey into a timeout. Out of the stoppage, Reese's third ace and another Sinclair kill moved the Aggies within four points of victory. Following Tess Fuqua's fifth kill to reach match point, Lightheart fittingly ended the affair, setting a new career high with her 18^th kill on the last swing of the weekend.
 
NUMBERS OF NOTE

• The Aggies' .248 team hitting percentage was their highest of the season.
• After her career-high 17 kills in five sets a day prior, Maggie Lightheart dominated with 18 efficient kills in just three sets to establish a new best on Saturday. 
• The junior outside hitter set a new high with 47 attempts, also leading the team once again with 15 digs.
• Fellow Las Cruces native Bella Castro notched her own personal best with her 14 digs, adding four assists and an ace.
• By taking down the Roos in straight sets, NM State clinched its first sweep of 2025.
• Following her collegiate debut on Friday, Jacqueline Corcoran tallied the first two digs of her career in the second set versus UMKC.
• The Aggies held their opponent below a .105 hitting percentage for the third time this season (.102)
• In 2024, NM State notched eight or more team blocks in less than half of all matches (16 of 33). Across six matches this season, the club has already done so five times, only failing to do so against Eastern Illinois.
• Maggie Lightheart averaged more than 4.00 kills and digs per set at the Saluki Bash, notching 46 kills and 45 digs over the weekend. 
• Redshirt sophomore Tess Fuqua concluded the two-day tournament with a combined 38 kills and 27 digs.

• Kate Sinclair wrapped up her second weekend of collegiate action with a three-match total of 12 efficient kills, doing so on a .379 clip to go along with eight total blocks. 

 
FROM THE FLOOR
Head Coach Mike Jordan, on the win: "It was our good defensive effort that got us the win today. Bella [Castro] stepped up when we needed her and played really well. There's a lot left to learn but we're starting to do it."
 
Junior outside hitter Maggie Lightheart, on her weekend: "For me, it's just been about choosing the right lines when I swing and playing smart. If I do make mistakes, I'm always just thinking about the next point. Those are really the keys for me to stay calm under pressure because I know my teammates are counting on me."
 
UP NEXT
NM State is set to return home on Saturday, gearing up for its home opener next weekend. The Aggies will host New Haven for a pair of matches on Friday, Sept. 12 and Saturday, Sept. 13. The Chargers, who made their NCAA Division I debut this season, will head to Las Cruces with a 1-3 record. Both matches from the Pan American Center will be streamed live on ESPN+ and available to follow via nmstatestats.com. 
 
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.