NMSU volleyball continues winning ways in WAC play
(Courtesy: NMSU Athletics)
EL PASO, Texas - The New Mexico State volleyball team set the school record for hitting percentage in a three-set match (.554), Shaney Lipscomb set the school record for individual hitting percentage in a three-set match (1.000) and the Aggies swept Seattle U, 25-15, 25-11, 25-10, at Memorial Gym in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday afternoon.
The Aggies also posted the highest hitting percentage in the NCAA this season for a three-set match.
“I’m impressed with what we did,” said head coach Mike Jordan. “Obviously, we saw some big performances and we passed it well enough and dug well which gave us transition opportunities. We have a lot of arms so when we defend like we defended today we can score.”
Lipscomb, a Grossmont College transfer, who sat out both Aggie matches at CBU last week, torched the Redhawks for 14 kills on 14 swings to set a school record with a 1.000 hitting percentage in a three-set match.
The previous high was .933 set by Gwen Murphy on Sept. 11, 2015.
As a team, NM State hit .554 with 46 kills and just five errors to set the school record for team hitting percentage in a three-set match at .554.
The previous record of .549 was set against Utah State on Nov. 13, 2008.
The Aggies (9-0, 9-0 WAC) struggled out of the gate and were tied with the Redhawks (1-6, 1-6) at 10.
Then, the Aggies caught fire and finished the first set on a 15-5 run to close it out 25-15.
The Aggies hit .556 in the first set to set the tone for the rest of the match.
The second set saw the Aggies race out to a 15-10 lead at the media timeout. Much like the first set, NM State caught fire and closed the set on a 10-1 run, capped by three-straight kills from Lia Mosher, for the 25-11 set two final.
Then, the Aggies dominated the third set, jumping out to a 9-0 lead before cruising to the 25-10 final.
Along with Lipscomb, Katie Birtcil was also stellar for the Aggies finishing her day with nine kills on 12 swings with no errors for a .750 hitting percentage.
NM State’s block was also lights out on the afternoon with Mosher finishing with six rejections and Lipscomb adding five as the Aggies held Seattle U to .050 hitting.
The Aggies record-setting offensive performance ran through setters Carly Aigner-Swesey and Natalie Mikels who posted 19 and 14 assists respectively. Mikels also moved into the ninth spot on NM State’s top-10 list for service aces with her 127th career ace.
The win was the 29th-straight conference match won by the Aggies who have won 15-straight sets and 27-of-30 sets played on the season.
NM State is back in action tomorrow, March 4, with round two against Seattle U at 12 p.m. (MT).
No fans are allowed but the match is scheduled to stream live on the WAC Digital Network.
