by Brandon Call
Daily Lobo
The UNM volleyball team sent its seniors off on a good note, defeating Texas Christian 3-0 in the final home match of the regular season.
The two teams battled back and forth, but the Lobos won 30-22, 30-27, 30-27 on Friday at Johnson Gym.
UNM head coach Kelley McKee said she was pleased with the way her team performed in the sweep of TCU.
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"It was a great effort," she said. "Our strength is our serving, and I felt like that got us into a really good rhythm. Offensively, we were really balanced and had a solid effort from all of
our team."
With the win, the Lobos improve to 9-19 overall and 5-10 in the Mountain West Conference.
Meanwhile, the Horned Frogs dropped to 17-13 overall and 5-10 in the MWC.
UNM was led by sophomore Jeanne Fairchild, who notched a match-high 15 kills. Freshman Rose Morris recorded her fifth double-double of the season on 12 kills and 12 digs.
Sophomore Gayle Tripp led the Lobos in digs with 13. Sophomore Sarah Kwasigroch added 41 assists for the Lobos.
Playing in her final home game as a Lobo, senior Kelly Therkelsen recorded seven kills and four blocks on the night.
Therkelsen said the win was bittersweet.
"It was sad, but I couldn't imagine a better way to go out," she said.
After the Lobos upset No. 18 Brigham Young last weekend, and with the sweep over TCU, UNM is building
momentum for the MWC tournament, Therkelsen said.
"I think we are in the best place we can possibly be at right now," she said. "We are playing our best volleyball we've played all year, so I think other teams have to see us as a threat going into to the tournament and certainly against Wyoming next weekend."
Fairchild said anything is possible in the tournament with the way the Lobos are playing.
"I think we have the opportunity to do really well," she said. "We have gotten a lot better since the beginning of the season. So, I think we have nothing to look forward to except good things."
Tripp said UNM will still be an underdog in the MWC Tournament.
"We could be up against the No. 1 seed right now," she said. "We have nothing to lose, so hopefully we can compete strong and be consistent and win."
The Lobos next match is at Wyoming on Saturday to conclude their regular season.
McKee said the match will be a close contest.
"We have an all-out battle at Wyoming," she said. "They are a very good team at home, so we just have to prepare this week and have some fun, and it's going to come right down to the wire against that team."
