ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – UTEP Volleyball came out strong with a first-set victory, but New Mexico responded by taking the next three as the Miners fell, 3-1 (25-23, 22-25, 21-25, 19-25), Saturday at The Pit-Powered by Nusenda.
The loss moved UTEP to 12-8 overall and 4-4 in Mountain West play.
UTEP finished the match hitting .219 with 58 kills, 56 assists, four aces, 53 digs and seven total blocks.
Luvina Oguntimehin paced the offense with 14 kills on .458 hitting and added two block assists, while
Ema Uskokovic and
Landry Braziel each recorded 12 kills. Uskokovic added 10 digs, with Braziel hitting .321.
Hannah Crowe contributed eight points while
Lauren Perry collected 12 digs and an ace, and
Lily-Rose Pichon led the Miners with 13 digs.
SET-BY-SET
ONE | The opening frame went back and forth from the start, featuring 13 ties and five lead changes. UTEP erased a late 23-21 deficit with four straight points to take the opening set. Crowe sparked the run with a kill and followed with an ace before Oguntimehin and
Mackenzi Davis combined for the set-clinching block. The Miners hit .257 with 15 kills in the frame, led by five points apiece from Crowe and
Landry Braziel.
TWO | Neither side created much separation in a tightly contested second set that featured 19 ties and two lead changes. UTEP took a 20-19 edge on a
Laila Amos kill before the Lobos responded with consecutive points. Oguntimehin leveled the set at 21 with a kill, but New Mexico scored four of the final five points to even the match. UTEP produced its best offensive set of the night with 18 kills on .342 hitting.
THREE | The Miners and Lobos continued trading points throughout the third as the set produced 14 ties. UTEP held a 15-13 advantage midway through the third before New Mexico battled back. The Miners pulled even at 20, but the Lobos closed on a 5-1 run to take a 2-1 match lead. Oguntimehin powered UTEP with six kills on eight swings in the set, hitting .500.
FOUR | UTEP rallied from an early deficit to take a 6-5 lead, but New Mexico regained control and pushed ahead 17-14. The Miners cut the gap to one, 17-16, before the Lobos pulled away to close out the match.
UP NEXT
UTEP returns to Club Memorial on Oct. 22 and 24 to host Air Force. Both matches will be streamed live on MW+.
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