RENO, Nev. – The Nevada volleyball team fell to the New Mexico Lobos in four sets and moves to 8-17, 1-13 in the Mountain West. The set scores are as follows: 25-18, 23-25, 24-26, 25-17, 7-15 with Nevada winning the second set.
Sophomore outside hitter Kayla Afoa and sophomore setter McKayla Wuensch both recorded double-doubles in the match. Afoa with an ending total of 18 kills and 15 digs while Wuensch had 16 assists and 10 digs. Dalyn Burns was just one dig away from getting herself a double-double with 19 assists and nine digs.
On defense for the Pack, four plays notches double digit digs with senior Mo Maluotoga leading the way with 18. Shiloh Peleras had a standout game with five block assists, right next to Hailey Maniglia who had four block assists. Peleras not only had a leading day in blocks but she was the most accurate on offense with seven kills on 19 total attacks for a .316 hitting percentage.
The Pack overall struggled to find rhythm on offense in the first set only putting up 13 kills as a team. It was the same story in the third set with only nine kills as a team and hitting below the team average. However, the second set Nevada carried a .343 hitting percentage with the most kills in a set on the day, 19.
Late in the second set Burns grabbed back-to-back aces to tie it up at 20 all and then a kill from Peleras took the lead, 21-20 over the Lobos. New Mexico tied it back up 22-22 after a Nevada error and a kill from Lauren Twitty but the Pack stepped up and took the last three points, two via kills.
Nevada made it interesting in the fourth set fighting back from a four-point deficit late in the set, 19-15. A couple of errors from the Lobos and a kill from Afoa pulled the Pack within one, 22-21. The two teams exchanged points but an error on the Pack ended the set and the match, 25-23.
Nevada continues the four game home stand with two more matches in Virginia Street Gym next week. First up is the San Jose State Spartans who will be in town on Tuesday, Nov. 6 and Air Force on Thursday, Nov. 8. Senior day festivities will also be held after the Air Force match on Thursday. Tickets are on sale now at NevadaWolfPack.com.
