The UNM volleyball team welcomes two Mountain West Conference foes to The Pit this weekend.
The Lobos play tough conference opponents Colorado State University and the University of Wyoming. Coming off two hard-fought losses last weekend, the Lobos look to regroup and get back in the chase for the conference crown.
"Well have to start learning to win on the road," senior Vanessa Shields said. "We're still trying to find a lineup and a rotation that works. We are working hard and as long as everyone is working hard, eventually things will come together."
The Lobo's record stands at 6-10 (1-2 MWC) good enough for 7th in the conference. UNM beat the Air Force Academy at home in the MWC opener, but dropped two matches last weekend to two talented squads from Utah. It lost to 20th-ranked University of Utah and a solid Brigham Young University team.
The Lobos played well in their loss to Utah, dropping the match 1-3. Despite the loss, there were bright spots. Power hitter Shields led the team, recording her sixth double-double of the season with 12 kills and 10 digs. Freshman Chelsea Sondrup also shined with 10 kills of her own.
In the game versus BYU, the Lobos were swept 0-3. They struggled in the decisive third game with poor passing and bad returns and ended the road trip empty handed. BYU out hit UNM .355 to .113. Shields led the Lobos with nine kills in the match, while senior Blaire Burns led UNM in digs with 13. Sophomore setter Monica Meihack contributed 29 assists.
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This weekend, the Lobos will use The Pit floor and a rowdy crowd to alleviate last week's losses. UNM has been unbeatable on its home floor at Johnson Gym this season, tallying a 5-0 record.
"Right now we're 5-0 at home (Johnson Gym)," head coach Kelley Sliva said. "So it doesn't make a lot of sense to go to The Pit, but at the same time we will stay open-minded and see what happens."
Shields agreed with her coach.
"It's good and bad," she said. "Fans like The Pit. It's cool because of the whole aura that goes on there. But it's like we're away, we don't practice there, so it is not really home court advantage."
On the road, the Lobos are 0-6 and 1-4 on neutral courts.
UNM's competition will be tough as the Wyoming Cowgirls are an impressive 15-3 overall and 1-2 in the MWC. Last weekend Wyoming defeated the University of Nevada at Las Vegas 3-0 and lost to San Diego State University 1-3 in Laramie, Wyo.
Colorado State is 11-6 overall and 3-0 in the MWC. CSU defeated SDSU and swept UNLV in early MWC competition.
After a week of practice and working on consistency, the Lobos hope to reverse their early MWC losses.
"I expect the team to go out and play hard," Sliva said. "Wyoming is a much improved team and they are playing really well right now. Colorado State is also a good team and we have to respect our opponent. We can't take anything for granted. We have a good scouting report and we'll see if we can take it to them."
UNM plays Wyoming Friday, Oct. 11 and Colorado State Saturday, Oct. 12. Both games will be played at 7 p.m. at The Pit.
