It was the first match of the season, and New Mexico beach volleyball looked sharp in a 5-0 shutout of Benedictine University at Mesa on Thursday in Arizona.
The No. 18 Lobos (1-0) did not find much difficulty in the match, as all five pairs won in straight sets against the fledgling Redhawks (1-6-1).
“I think it was a great start to the season,” head coach Jeff Nelson said in a release. “Everyone got out and played and played well at times. We didn’t drop a single game…I think it’s always good to have a match where we can work the jitters out.”
There was a minor tweak to the lineup as Julia Warren and Lauren Twitty moved to fill the No. 5 slot instead of the fourth position as originally planned.
The duo captured court five with two straight sets 21-11, 21-10 to give Lobos the early lead.
The projected fifth pair of Jackie Baro and Carly Beddingfield played at the No.4
The senior pair of Devanne Sours and Lise Rugland competed in the No. 2 position and easily dispatched their foes 21-13, 21-12 to clinch the match 3-0.
No. 3 pair Marisa Doran and Eastyn Baleto added a fourth win for the Lobos, as they dominated in court three 21-11, 21-14.
Cassie House and Ashley Kelsey sealed the final victory for the team, taking things at the No. 1 position 21-12, 21-19.
The only resistance New Mexico faced was some strong Benedictine serves in the first game and a little bit of wind, but the Lobos managed everything they needed to dominate the season opener.
“There are some nerves for the first day and we got out and got them done,” Nelson said. “I think it’s going to help us as we prepare for the rest of the weekend with some really tough matches.”
The auspicious season debut should give the Lobos confidence as they head to Phoenix to play against a pair of
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Loyola Marymount finished last season with a 6-17 record, but the team appears to be the first big test for the Lobos.
And things are likely to get even more difficult against Grand Canyon, which has not lost to New Mexico in the past four matches. The last time the teams met, the Lobos dropped a 4-1 decision to GCU in March of last season.
New Mexico will face Loyola Marymount at 3 p.m. and challenge Grand Canyon at 5 p.m on Friday in Phoenix, Arizona.
Bo Yu is a sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers beach volleyball, track and field, cross country and volleyball. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Bo_YuB.
