Forget the football, the REAL Battle of I-25, Rio Grande Rivalry, whatever you want to call it, happens tonight at the Johnson Center in Albuquerque.
UNM vs NMSU
This will be the 62nd meeting between the Lobos and the Aggies. NMSU leads the series, 37-24. Last year, UNM won, 3-0, in Las Cruces. The win ended a nine-match losing streak and a eight-match road losing streak for the Lobos.
Observations
The University of New Mexico has hit a small snag in finding the chemistry that elevated them into the first round of the NCAA tournament last season. With losses to to No. 1 Stanford, No. 6 Hawai’i and No. 7 USC, considered acceptable by head coach Jeff Nelson, the Lobos falling to Michigan State and Cal Santa Barbara, are not.
The Aggies, while at 6-3, are having issues of their own–NMSU is in the middle of a seven match road trip that has already been exhausting.
Sophomore hitter Stephanie Ziegler broke her leg in Friday’s match against Rice at the LSU Tiger Classic. The loss of a major contributor in such a manner was an emotional blow for NMSU.
The upside? The Aggies were able to take No. 21 LSU to five sets on their home court.
Keep an eye on senior outside hitter Kayleigh Giddens, who leads the NMSU offensive attack with 4.52 kills per set and a .262 attack percentage. She is also second on defense with 2.68 digs per set.
Also…
UNM junior Kelly Williamson is coordinating the Lobos Love Red, Live Green Night against New Mexico State. Williamson, a conservation biology major, is working with the UNM Sustainability and Recycling Departments on an energy conscience giveaway for all fans in attendance. Fans can also learn how to calculate their carbon footprint.
Follow the Game
GameTracker and All-Access Lobo TV will be available for the match through links on GoLobos.com