Staff Report
The UNM volleyball team found the road to be unkind again this weekend, losing matches to the University of Nevada at Las Vegas and San Diego State University in Mountain West Conference play.
The losses drop the Lobos to 6-14 overall, 1-6 in the MWC. UNM is currently in last place in the eight-team conference with at the midway point of the regular season.
UNLV 3, UNM 1
The Lobos dropped their first game and were unable to overcome their slow start against the Rebels Friday, losing in straight sets 30-15, 30-28 and 30-25.
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UNLV (6-15, 2-5) broke a 10-match losing streak with the game and claimed its first MWC victory of the year.
UNM was led by junior outside hitter Anna Reines who finished the game with 16 kills and was the only Lobo in double figures for kills.
Senior setter Blaire Burns had 11 digs on the night. It was the 12th game in which Burns has had double-digit digs.
As a team, UNM out blocked UNLV nine to eight. Freshman Chelsea Sondrup had a match-high six block assists.
The Rebels out dug the Lobos 44 to 34 and had six service aces to UNM's three.
Senior outside hitter Vanessa Shields had two of the Lobos three aces.
SDSU 3, UNM 1
The Lobos gave a better effort against the Aztecs, but came up short, losing 32-30, 26-30, 30-24 and 30-22.
The Aztecs, who are now tied for the MWC lead with Colorado State University, found the Lobos to be tenacious in the first game.
UNM tied the game at 30 only to give up the final two points of the game. The Lobos kept the momentum for game two, leading most of the way before taking the match.
After the break, SDSU came out strong. Led by junior hitter Zlatina Anguelova, the Aztecs grabbed a six-point lead early in each game on the way to victory. Anguelova had 23 kills for the game - one shy of her career high.
Reines again led UNM with 21 kills on a career-high 50 attempt. Shields earned her eighth double-double of the year, with 13 kills and 10 digs.
Senior middle blocker Staci Masten scored her third double-double with 11 kills and 15 digs and added one block solo and four block assists.
Four UNM players scored double-digit dig totals - Burns made a career-high 20 digs.
Sophomore setter Monica Meihack scored her seventh double-double of the season with 49 assists and 13 digs.
UNM continues MWC play Friday at the Air Force Academy The Lobos next home matches are Nov. 1 against Brigham Young University and Nov. 2 against the University of Utah.
The Utes were ranked 19th in the nation going into the weekend, but lost 3-0 Friday University of Wyoming and 3-1 Saturday Colorado State University.
