For the first time, the volleyball team hosts the MWC tournament at Johnson Center.
The Lobos, who finished 14-13 this season, including 6-8 in conference play, earned the No. 5 seed in the bracket and will face the No. 4 seed Wyoming tonight at 8:30 p.m.
UNM head coach Jeff Nelson said playing at home could be both good and bad.
“Yeah, we get to be at home, we get to be in a familiar place, have our fans and all the comforts that go with that,” Nelson said. “But there’s a flip side.”
He said his team could lose focus due to interviews and other distractions that result from being at home.
If the Lobos hope to return to the NCAA tournament, they’ll have to run the tables and come out as champions.
“Our goal is to get the MWC title to go into the NCAA tournament,” senior libero Allison Buck said.
UNM has lost both games against the Cowboys this season.
The Lobos lost in three sets back in mid-October in Laramie, Wyo., the third of a four-match losing streak; in three of those matches, the Lobos lost in three sets.
The rematch took place last week at Johnson Center. The Lobos’ play was much improved, but they fell to the Cowboys again, this time in five sets.
“I thought we played as well or better than them,” Nelson said.
Despite losing to Colorado State two days later, Nelson said he liked what he saw from his team.
“It’s the first time all season where I’ve seen us really pull together and be like ‘no, that’s not good,’ and really pick it up and fight for each other,” Nelson said.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
If the Lobos pull out a victory Friday night, they will take on the winner of No. 1 Colorado State vs. No. 8 Air Force.
This tournament might be the last game(s) for seniors Ashley Rhoades, Kelly Williamson and Buck, who have been the driving force of the team this season.
Rhoades leads the Mountain West in kills per set (3.88) and points per set (4.50) this season. She leads the team in offense with 367 kills and has moved into fourth place all-time for career total blocks at UNM with 326.
Williamson is the other scoring threat for the Lobos. She has recorded a career-high 360 kills this season. Last week she was named First-Team Academic All-District.
Buck is UNM’s all-time career digs leader with 1,593. She has 524 digs this year, a school record for a single season, breaking her own record she set last year.
The Rams, who finished 19-5 this season, including 12-2 in the MWC, are the clear favorites to win the tournament, but Nelson said most of the teams in the bracket match up well with each other.
“There are six or seven teams capable of winning the event this weekend,” Nelson said.
Women’s Volleyball vs. Wyoming
Tonight 8:30 p.m.
Johnson Center
