The third time failed to be charming for the volleyball team. The Lobos fell in their third encounter against the Wyoming Cowgirls in four sets, 23-25, 25-27, 25-20 and 21-25, in the first round of the MWC tournament Friday night at Johnson Center.

Senior Ashley Rhoades has led the volleyball team in kills and matches started this season. Rhoades, a senior middle blocker from Rio Rancho, said she is familiar with head coach Jeff Nelson’s expectations of seniors on the team.

The UNM volleyball team won its third straight game, which stands in contrast to its four-game losing streak earlier this month.
Head coach Jeff Nelson said some of that improvement is thanks to senior Kelly Williamson.

The UNM volleyball team has 11 games left in its regular season, and there’s still one starting position to fill. This season, the Lobos have been shuffling through players trying to find the perfect complement to middle blocker Ashley Rhoades in the attack. “We’re really struggling in the outside hitting position in terms of people stepping up and being consistent,” head coach Jeff Nelson said.

The UNM volleyball team opens its Mountain West Conference (MWC) play tonight at Johnson Center against a familiar foe, the MWC powerhouse Texas Christian University. “We have a rivalry against TCU,” senior outside hitter Kelly Williamson said.

For the UNM volleyball team, the third time will hopefully be the charm. After losses in the championship matches against Nebraska and Northern Arizona University (NAU) in each of the team’s first two tournaments, the Lobos host the Comcast/Sheraton Lobo Invitational this weekend as they try to win their first tournament of the season.

The UNM volleyball team hosts a wealth of national talent this weekend in the MCM Elegante Lobo Classic. The Lobos will play University of South Florida on Friday and Nebraska on Saturday at Johnson Center.

The 2011 season can’t come soon enough for UNM women’s volleyball. The Lobos beat the alumni team 3-1 (25-16, 25-17, 25-15, 22-25) in the Alumni exhibition game Saturday night at Johnson Center.

It’s tournament time for the UNM volleyball team – again.
After finishing the regular season 20-11 and clinching second place in the Mountain West Conference with a program-best 12 conference wins, the Lobos received one of 33 at-large bids into the NCAA Tournament, marking the ninth postseason appearance in program history and UNM’s second-straight tournament trip. “I was in disbelief not seeing our name in the first 48 teams announced,” senior setter Jade Michaelsen said.

Jeff Nelson just wants to talk about volleyball — nothing more, nothing less.
The fourth-year head volleyball coach is on the cusp of a tremendous accomplishment: his 500th college match as a head coach.
But when Sports Information Director Frank Mercogliano reminded Nelson about that piece of trivia, Nelson tried to dodge the topic with a clever quip. “So old,” he said.