New Mexico volleyball is looking to bounce back in Johnson Center this weekend after suffering three straight losses, and finding itself toward the bottom of conference standings
Head coach Jeff Nelson admitted it was a rough trip for Lobos (10-7, 1-3 Mountain West) last week, as they dropped both road matches.
“We did not take anything away from San José State,” Nelson said at Monday’s media luncheon. “And on Saturday we just really struggled with Fresno State.”
The Lobos have tasted the bitterness of five sets this season. They have only come out on top in one out of five matches that have gone the distance.
UNM is also having trouble making up for the absence of key players, who are the team’s backbone due to injuries. Senior captain Julia Warren had been away due to a minor MCL tear until Saturday. Junior Cassie House, the team leader in kills with a 3.44 K/Set average, suffered a sprained ankle last Thursday.
The good news, according to Nelson, is that it won’t take long for the injured players to come back.
“On Thursday we probably will have Warren in the back row,” Nelson said. “I think House will be back — it’s a first or second degree sprain and she’ll be in good shape.”
With the returning players, New Mexico is expected to regroup and get back to its winning ways.
New Mexico is expected to regroup the team with the return of these players and back on the winning track. The team has gone 1-3 since starting the season 9-4.
“We’re hoping we can get as many kids healthy as we can and really make a run at it,” Nelson said. “We generally play well in Johnson, but I think we’ve got to be prepared for some different things.”
UNM has won five of eight matches at home, and its record in Johnson Center for the conference is 1-1.
“We’ve got a big weekend in front of us. I think that we will be ready,” Nelson said. “We are trying to get back to 100 percent.”
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The Lobos will meet with Colorado State (9-5, 3-0) on Thursday and take on Wyoming (10-6, 3-0) on Saturday. Both teams have good starters with three straight victories in the conference.
Colorado State ranks second in the conference and owns the highest hitting percentage in the MW. The team confirms its barrage by ranking atop the league in blocks and number two in kills. However, the Rams have a subpar 6-5 record in non-conference play.
“This is a different Colorado State team than we’ve seen in years, we definitely have some things that we can exploit, but they’re still very physical,” Nelson said.
Wyoming is strong at defense as it has the lowest opponent hitting percentage, and ranks fourth in blocks.
“Wyoming is a middle dominated team, which has given us trouble this year,” Nelson said. “Two of their best three players are their middles and they’re doing a really good job.”
The coach is expecting a resurgence this weekend. He believes the team can play some good balls and find itself.
“(Last) week proved again that the conference is wide open,” Nelson said. “If we could get a couple wins I think we could get our confidence back.”
New Mexico ranks fifth in digs, which can be a key advantage for the team over its Mountain West foes. The Lobos also need some good defenses against the Rams, and focus on their attacks when facing the Cowgirls.
The schedule of matches has changed slightly due to “The Lion King” playing at Popejoy Hall. The Lobos start their “Jam Johnson” at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, and play at noon on Saturday.
Bo Yu is a sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. He mainly covers Cross Country. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com.
