assistantsports@dailylobo.com
@JROppenheim
A week off from Mountain West Conference play doesn’t equate to a full week off for the UNM volleyball team.
The Lobos take a break from their MWC schedule this weekend after losing five of their last seven conference matches. On Sunday, UNM will host Cal State Bakersfield on the back end of a nonconference series. First serve is at 1 p.m. Sunday at Johnson Center.
UNM (19-9, 6-6 MWC) enters the contest following last weekend’s road split with Air Force and Boise State. The Lobos lost three straight home games from Oct. 23-27 before beating the Falcons 3-2 and falling to the Broncos 3-0.
“If it is conference play or not, I believe that every game is very important,” junior middle blocker Lexi Ross said. “Every game is a chance to go out and play as hard as we can, no matter who is on the other side of the net.”
UNM head coach Jeff Nelson said CSUB scheduled multiple home-and-away series with several MWC programs this season after the Roadrunners’ attempts to join the Western Athletic Conference failed.
“I’m glad to have a match out of conference because otherwise we’d be off for two weeks,” he said. “I think the break is nice, but eight days is enough.”
Despite the Lobos’ recent skid, Chantale Riddle has continued her strong play. The sophomore outside hitter had 42.5 points and 37 kills in the Air Force and Boise State matches combined. She’s now in UNM’s top 10 single-season lists in both categories — sixth in points (503.5) and ninth in kills (432).
Freshman middle blocker Skye Gullatt has been a contributing force as of late. She is currently eighth in the MWC with a 1.15 block-per-set average.
UNM may be without junior libero Miquella Lovato, who sustained a head injury Nov. 1. Nelson said Lovato was injured diving for a pass into the stands during pregame warm-ups. She did not play against Air Force or Boise State.
Nelson said he hopes Lovato will be able to return Sunday. Ross filled in at libero, a defensive back row position, and may do so again if Lovato is unavailable.
“There comes a point where it’s pretty stressful when you’re creating a lineup 30 minutes before a match,” Nelson said. “We were pretty thrilled to get out with one win on the road.”
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
In its first match ever against CSUB, UNM captured a 3-1 win over the Roadrunners. Those set scores were 20-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-20.
That decision in Bakersfield, Calif., gave Nelson his 350th career coaching victory.
Volleyball vs. CSU Bakersfield
Sunday
1 p.m.
Johnson Center
