sports@dailylobo.com
On Saturday the UNM volleyball team faced a stacked alumnae squad that included a former Olympian and a current assistant coach.
The Lobos were the overall victors, defeating the alumnae in the second game 27-25, the fourth game 25-15 and the fifth game 15-12.
The alumnae won the first game 26-24 and the third game 28-26.
The alumnae came out strong, with the help of former Olympic player Pauline Manser, who contributed four kills and 13 assists to the alumnae team. Other returners included last year’s middle blocker Ashley Rhoades and libero Allison Buck, who set New Mexico’s single-season record for digs with 551.
The hardest player to stop, however, was Jeanne Fairchild, who had a total of 14 kills for the alumnae. Fairchild will be returning for her fourth year as the assistant volleyball coach at Bosque High School, the 2011-2012 Class 2A volleyball state runner-up.
“It’s always fun to come back,” Fairchild said. “Every year it gets more competitive. I try to play with the team (Bosque), but it was fun to put it into action. I’m attached to the girls. My body hurts and I’m a little hoarse but it was fun.”
The first match was tied at 13-13 when freshman outside hitter Ashley Kelsey came off a hit and landed on the ground holding her left knee. She was carried off the court and didn’t return for the remainder of the game. Junior libero Miquella Lovato was also unable to participate in the match due to a sprained wrist. Her sub, Lena Skipper, had 15 digs.
The score was still tied 24-24 when Chantale Riddle, the Lobos 6-foot power hitter, shut Fairchild down with a block. Riddle had the most kills of any player, with a total of 22. However, the alumnae snagged the victory after Fairchild’s slam from the outside to finish the first game with a final score of 26 to 24.
The second game was in the Lobos’ favor with a sneaky tip from Riddle to the vacant spot in the front row on the alumnae side and an angle slammer from freshman outside hitter Alijah Gunsaulus to the left court, giving the Lobos a three-point lead advantage 8-5.
Gunsaulus had a total of 11 kills for the Lobos. Riddle continued to help keep the Lobos ahead with an unstoppable bullet hit straight on the floor to maintain the lead 21-17. With a kill from the Lobos’ 6-foot-4 middle blocker Megan Short off an overpass from the alumnae and a hitting error, the Lobos won 27-25.
Senior setter Jordan Russell had the most assists of any player of the game, with a total of 26. She said it was the biggest turnout for the game she had ever seen.
Jeff Nelson, who enters his sixth season this year as Lobo head volleyball coach, said that throughout the series, UNM almost always had four or five newcomers at a time on its side of the court.
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“We struggled in the first three games,” Nelson said. “There were good plays at good times.”
The alumnae took a three-point advantage in the beginning of the fifth game, until Riddle started slamming and killing hits through and around the opposing block to pass the alumnae and win 15-12.
