The University of New Mexico’s volleyball team won in four sets against the Boise State University Broncos in the Senior Night game on Thursday, Nov. 14. This victory solidified an incredible comeback for UNM from their previous nine-loss nightmare just weeks prior.
Now the Lobos move to 6-10 in conference play and 13-13 overall to stay alive in the hunt for a tournament appearance.
There was a large fan turnout for the seniors. Before the game started, Lobo seniors were recognized on the court with plaques, flowers and the ear-ringing cheers of the crowd.
The players recognized on Senior Night were setter Sohila Wafeek, middle blocker Elizabeth Woods, outsider hitters Jada Bouyer and Kialah Jefferson and libero Falanika Danielson.
Setter Madeleine Miller is a sophomore. She said playing with her senior teammates was motivational during the game.
“The seniors getting their last game as a win in Johnson Center is just a great feeling,” Miller said. “I’m so happy for them.”
During Senior Night, the Lobos let the first set slip out of their hands, but they dominated the next three sets for a victory.
The first set was a nail-biting loss of 26-24. The set started strong with the first point being scored off a vicious kill in the open by outside hitter Lauryn Payne.
The Lobos and Broncos battled back and forth. A kill by Bouyer gave the Lobos the lead 4-3, but that did not last long. The Lobos served multiple balls into the net and out of bounds, failing to defend the Broncos’ attacks.
Although a significant effort was made to tie the game at 19-19, 21-21 and 22-22, the Lobos were not able to capitalize on offense, falling to the Broncos in the first set.
In the second set, the adjustments made on offense and defense were noticeable. The Lobos came up strong, winning the second set 25-14.
The Lobos gained a huge lead thanks to Bronco side-outs which boosted the Lobos to 8-3. The Lobos played an aggressive offense, especially Payne, who dominated the second set and a majority of the game.
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Payne connected on 18 kills on .372 hitting, becoming a severe threat to Boise State.
Payne was not the only offensive weapon the Lobos had. Another huge contributor was Woods, who put away 10 kills on .444 hitting in her final match as a senior.
Payne and Woods set the court on fire, bulldozing the Broncos’ defense and taking a Lobo win by force in the second — setting the tone for the third.
The third set started a little rocky, with the Broncos scoring the first point. The Lobos began slipping behind the Broncos 3-4 but stayed in the fight.
The Lobos had to answer for points scored by the Broncos as they ramped up their offense. In an intense back and forth match, the Lobos crawled out of the third set with a 25-20 victory over the Broncos.
At this point, the Lobos only had to win one more set to secure their victory. They knew losing the fourth set would mean playing in a fifth to settle a tie. To avoid this, the Lobos shook off their fear and exploded on offense.
The Lobos entered the fourth set with a 2-1 lead over the Broncos and trampled them in a staggering 25-14 victory. Bouyer and Jefferson played a significant role in stifling Boise State’s defense.
Ultimately, the Lobos outplayed the Broncos and held them to .063 hitting on the match, out-blocking them 17-6 and out-digging them 85-79. The Lobos also put away 54 kills on .268 hitting, which was the best single-match average in Mountain West play this season, according to Go Lobos.
Miller said the Lobos won because they stuck to their plan.
“I think Boise was a really good team, but I think that we stayed together, we ran the game plan, and we were able to come out on top,” Miller said. “(The team) found really good solutions. It was an all around spread-out offense.”
Senior Night was the last home game of the season. The Lobos will spend their final week in Mountain West play on the road.
The Lobos will migrate west to face the San Diego State University Aztecs on Thursday, Nov. 21 before finishing their season in Las Vegas against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas on Saturday, Nov. 23.
Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at sports@dailylobocom or on X @kubiakizabella
