The UNM volleyball team looks to catch fire this weekend in its final home stint of the season. The Lobos will be playing some tough competition when they face 15th-ranked University of Utah and 14th-ranked Brigham Young University.
The Utes are 14-4 and the Cougars have posted a 12-4 and are now tied for second place in the Mountain West Conference, each with 6-2 records.
The Lobos win column has been stagnant at 3-15 overall and 1-8 in the MWC since their last victory Oct. 5. UNM lost to both BYU and Utah in three straight sets on the road earlier this season.
With the conference tournament just around the corner, head coach Tom Peterson says it is time for the team to execute to secure a much-needed victory.
"We are down at crunch time, we can't be making those mistakes that have lost us games," he said. "If we match any of the teams in terms of serve and serve receive we have a chance because we can match them in terms of our offensive schemes. I hope right here at the end of the season we can catch fire."
Utah is coming off a 3-2 win over BYU last Friday and has won 11 straight games. The Utes are lead by conference player of the week Kim Turner, who racked up 16 kills in Tuesday's win against No. 25 Utah State University. Utah holds the series record against the Lobos' with a 27-26 edge.
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BYU just suffered it's first back-to-back loss in more than a year against Utah and Utah State this past weekend.
Junior Vanessa Shields said that the key to winning against BYU is getting past the Cougars blocking game.
"They have a huge block; their middle blocker is very good," she said. "If we just get the ball down we will do good."
UNM has not had much success against BYU in the past only winning seven times in 52 matches.
Peterson said that a lineup change might be in the making, depending on this week's practice.
"At this point in the season it's not something that you would want to do, but we hope that it rejuvenates us again," he said.
Shields said the team has been focusing on its passing in practice and expects that to make a difference in this weekend's matches.
"We watch video, we work on staying behind the ball and having our belly buttons behind the ball so we can pass well," she said. "We know that if we pass at least our percentage statistics, a 2.4 or higher we have a more likely chance to win. If we pass well we obviously get a set and a hit and that will help us to win."
Peterson said both of this weekend's opponents are very experienced and talented.
"They won't expect to lose, when you have it in your mind to win you are going to win, it translates into something physical," he said.
Peterson said he hopes that the Lobo's have that same attitude going into the games.
"I have a quote I tell the team, that is a Petersonism," he said. "Whatever thought your mind holds tends to manifest itself in a muscular reaction."
Shields said a win this weekend would do wonders for the team.
"If we could beat them that would bring our confidence up so much," she said. "If we could pull out a win that would be excellent."
The Lobos take on the Utes Friday and the Cougars Saturday with both matches at 7 p.m. at Johnson Arena.
