University of Nevada Athletics

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – After going up 2-1 over the Lobos, Nevada volleyball couldn't hang on as New Mexico completed the five-set comeback 3-2 win over the Pack at Johnson Center in Albuquerque Saturday afternoon, moving the Wolf Pack to 7-20 and 3-13 in Mountain West play. Nevada finishes with a 0-9 conference away record for the second time in three seasons.
 
Despite the heartbreaker, the Wolf Pack had multiple players reach significant marks. Jordan Schwartz has the eighth most single-season total blocks with 129, while Kia Kaohelaulii is fourth for most single-season digs with 441. Bella Snyder tied her career high in points with 18, Hannah Platt ties her career high in digs with three total, and Gabby McLaughlin saw a season-high of five total blocks. Freshman Francesca King had a stellar day earning her first career double-double with 26 assists and 16 digs, marking career highs in both categories.
 
The Lobos sit at 19-3 all-time against the Wolf Pack, having won 10 of the last 11 meetings, and six of the last seven hosted at the Johnson Center. New Mexico took the series this season with the victory Saturday afternoon after first defeating the Pack in five sets at Virginia Street Gym September 21.
 
The Pack started the afternoon off with a 8-3 lead over the Lobos in the first set. A 5-0 scoring run contributed to Nevada's five-point lead with two kills from McLaughlin and Schwartz along with a pair of errors and a service ace by Sanchez. New Mexico answered back quickly, going on their own 5-0 scoring run to tie the set 8-8 a piece with two service aces from Kali Wolf, a kill from Athina Dimitriadis, and two errors. Another 5-0 scoring run by the Lobos forced a Nevada timeout, their first of the set, as New Mexico took the lead 12-9. The Pack and New Mexico traded two points each before Nevada went on a three-point run to tie the match at 14-14 with one kill each from Snyder and Makaula. The squads continued to trade points to reach the middle of the set before a block assist from Schwartz and McLaughlin put the Pack up by two, 19-17. Staying on top by two points 22-20, Nevada forced New Mexico's first timeout of the set as the Pack were within two of reaching set point. Keeping things close, the Lobos put up two more points on the board with a kill from Kaitlyn Biassou and an attack error on Nevada, tying the set 22-22. Tied once again at 23-23 as the two teams traded a point each, McLaughlin's fifth kill of the match allowed Nevada to reach set point, followed by the Lobos calling their second timeout of the set. McLaughlin came up clutch with another kill to secure the first set for the Pack 25-23.
 
The squads kicked off set two trading points back and forth, sitting at 6-6 early in the second. Nevada took a four-point lead off a 3-0 scoring run after a kill from Liilii, Frnacesca King's first service ace of the match, and an attack error on New Mexico. The Lobos came within one of the Pack's lead before tying the set 11-11 after Wolf's third kill of the match. Continuing the momentum, New Mexico took the lead 12-11 with Biassou's second kill that contributed to the Lobos' 5-0 scoring run. Back-to-back kills from Wolf put New Mexico up by two 15-13 at the media timeout. A 3-0 Nevada scoring run opened play back up after the timeout to give the Pack a 16-15 lead. The Lobos went on a crucial five-point scoring run to go up by four points over Nevada 22-18, the second-largest lead by any team in the set or match so far. The Pack kept the set alive, coming within two of the Lobos' lead at 23-21 before New Mexico could reach set point. An attack error called on Nevada's Makaula allowed the Lobos to reach set point, but a kill from Snyder put another point on the board for the Pack, continuing to keep things alive. Another attack error by McLaughlin ultimately crowned New Mexico victorious, taking the second set 25-22, moving the match to 1-1 overall.
 
A 6-1 lead gave New Mexico the edge over Nevada opening the third set. A four-point run by the Pack shortened their deficit by one, but the Lobos responded by adding two more points on the scoreboard, giving them an 8-5 lead. Nevada and New Mexico traded two to three points apiece as the Pack continued to battle to shorten the Lobos' lead. Lillii's first service ace of the set brought Nevada within one, but the Lobos scored two in a row to lead 15-12 at the media timeout. A 5-0 run put the Pack in position to lead by one, forcing the Lobos to call timeout. A service ace and kill by Snyder followed by kills from McLaughlin and Schwartz gave Nevada the 17-16 lead. Nevada scored two more to extend their lead by three before New Mexico scored two of their own to come back within one. It was all Nevada as another scoring run gave them a four-point lead at 22-18, coming just within reach of set point. New Mexico kept the set alive, coming back from the timeout with back-to-back points to shorten Nevada's lead by two. A final kill by Snyder put an end to the third set for the Pack, taking the Lobos 25-22, going up 2-1.
 
An early 6-0 scoring run gave the Lobos the 7-3 lead to open the fourth. Nevada battled their way to tie the match 11-11 before going on a 3-0 scoring run to go up by two over New Mexico. The two-point lead was quickly taken away as the Lobos tied the set once again 14-14, but McLaughlin's 15^th kill of the match put the Pack back up by one heading into the media timeout. Nevada took their first timeout of the set in result of a four-point scoring run by the Lobos, putting them up 18-15. The squads continued to trade points back and forth, the Pack not willing to let the set get away from them as they trailed by one 23-22, trying to keep the Lobos from reaching set point. A kill from Wolf put New Mexico one point away from winning the set, but an attack error called on Wolf in the next play gave Nevada another point and another opportunity to keep the set going. After a timeout called by New Mexico, Dimitriadis's kill sealed set four for the Lobos 25-23
 
The decisive fifth set started off in similar fashion as the Pack and Lobos traded two points each to tie the match 2-2. Liilii's 12^th kill of the afternoon put Nevada up by one before Biassou's 18^th kill of the match, tying her season career high, tied the match once again as both squads continued to battle it out to 15. Liilii tied the set at 7-7 with a kill off an assist from Kaohelaulii, but an untimely error by Nevada's Platt gave New Mexico the free point to reach the halfway point. Another error by the Wolf Pack followed by a monstrous kill from Biassou forced a Nevada timeout, as New Mexico reached the 10-point landmark, becoming only five points away from taking the set and match. The Lobos continued to extend their lead, going up by four to force Nevada to call their final timeout of the set. A ball handling error called on New Mexico's Melissa Walden put the Pack within four at 13-9, but an error on Nevada followed by a Dimitriadis kill secured the set 15-9 and the match 3-2 , completing the five-set comeback over the Wolf Pack.
 
Up Next:
Nevada volleyball will return home for the final two matches of the 2023 season Thursday, November 16 at 6 p.m. against Boise State, and Saturday, November 18 against Utah State at 1 p.m. For Thursday's match, students will receive double points for attending through Wolf Pack Rewards. Saturday's match will be Senior Night, as Nevada volleyball will honor seniors Lexi Applebach, Jaclyn Sanchez, and Hannah Platt. Tickets start at $7 and can be purchased at www.mynevadawolfpack.com