EL PASO, Texas – NM State Volleyball hit the road for the first time in 2026, squaring off with rival UTEP in the first Battle of I-10 of the season on Sunday evening. The Aggies took a 2-1 set lead after dropping the first set, but UTEP ultimately escaped with a fifth-set victory. The two rivals will meet again later this season when the Miners travel to Las Cruces on Sept. 10.
NM State's balanced attack produced 63 kills while hitting .257 as a team, both far and away new season highs.
Set-by-set: NM State loses 2-3 (23-25, 25-13, 26-24, 22-25, 13-15)
FIRST SET
A packed crowd at the newly renovated Memorial Gym ushered in Sunday's matchup, serving as UTEP's home opener for the 2026 campaign. The opening frame featured seven ties and four lead changes as neither team was able to establish much separation. NM State came out firing, using a 6-2 run to open the match before the Miners battled back.
Jaelynn Kohli and
Tess Fuqua combined for nine kills in the set, while
Ashley Herman added three kills on four swings and
Katrina Catalan distributed nine assists to help guide the Aggie attack. Tying the first set 23-23, UTEP narrowly claimed the final two points to secure a 25-23 victory.
SECOND SET
By far the shortest set of the night, the Aggies responded in the second set, highlighted by their most efficient attacking performance of the night. NM State hit an impressive .524 while holding the Miners to a .125 hitting percentage, using 14 kills and a quartet of service aces to cruise to a 25-13 victory - capped by a
Bella Castro service ace, her first of the season.
THIRD SET
The Aggies continued to apply pressure in the third frame, posting 18 kills while hitting .300 as a team.
Jaelynn Kohli tallied four straight points for NM State, helping the team rally to a 13-11 lead.
Tess Fuqua and
Lilli Saldivar delivered key points throughout the set before
Maggie Lightheart sealed a hard-fought 26-24 victory with her first service ace of the season, moving NM State within one set of the match win.
FOURTH SET
Neither team could find a scoring rhythm in the fourth set, which featured 12 ties and four lead changes. Taking a 15-12 lead at the media timeout following a combo block by
Tess Fuqua and
Ashley Herman, the Aggies continued to trade points with the Miners, but UTEP eventually secured a 25-22 win to force a deciding fifth set.
FIFTH SET
The rivalry match fittingly came down to the wire, with the longtime rivals going to five sets seven times since 2019. Holding the set lead six different times in the decisive fifth set, NM State continued to fight, but UTEP pieced together the final points needed for a 15-13 victory.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
The Aggies finished with 63 kills, their first 60-plus kill performance since totaling 62 against Missouri State on Oct. 18, 2025.
NM State's 63 kills were also its highest single-match total since recording 64 against New Mexico on Sept. 17, 2025.
Jaelynn Kohli tied her career-high with 16 kills, hitting .419 in her hometown of El Paso on Sunday.
Tess Fuqua led the team with 17 kills while adding nine digs and three total blocks. Her 17 kills represent the most by an Aggie in a single game this season.
Ashley Herman delivered one of her most efficient outings of her fifth season, finishing with a season-high nine kills on a .438 hitting percentage.
First-year Aggie and UC Santa Barbara transfer setter
Katrina Catalan led the Aggies with 28 assists while adding three service aces and 13 digs – all career highs.
True freshman setter
Paige Nelson chipped in 23 assists and a service ace. The Pleasanton, Calif., native has recorded a service ace in all three Crimson & White contests this season, while recording 20+ assists in two matches.
Makayla Martinez and
Katrina Catalan shared the team lead with 13 digs apiece.
Lilli Saldivar continued her solid start to her freshman campaign, contributing eight kills and a solo block on the night.
The Aggies produced eight service aces and 60 total digs, all season bests.
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Mike Jordan, following the five-set thriller with UTEP:
"I'm proud of our effort, we just have to play more consistently for a little longer, in particular later in games. It's a fun team to coach, it's a fun team to watch. Had we made some easy plays, it's possible we could've walked out of here with a sweep. Probably more so than a lot of teams, we have so much room for growth still. I'm proud of them."
Outside Hitter Tess Fuqua, on taking from Sunday's result going forward:
"I think after today, we're going into this coming week of competition with the same mindset – we are as good as we are, and we're gonna work hard. It's exciting to play them again at home."
UP NEXT
The Crimson & White will spend next weekend on the road taking part in their first away tournament of the season, taking part in the Bulldog Invitational hosted by Fresno State. NM State will face of against UC Irvine in its first contest of the event, scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 3, at 3 p.m. MT inside the North Gymnasium.
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