The volleyball teams of Utah and New Mexico State share one unflattering thing in common: a joint futility against teams in the Top 25.
For the Aggies, their 0-3 record against top-25 competition doesn’t mean the same as the Utes’ 1-4 record, given that those three losses are the only blemishes on New Mexico State’s record so far. For Utes (6-7, 3-2), they will be the only team with an opportunity to improve its top-25 record tonight.
The Utes will play host to No. 22 New Mexico State in the first leg of a season-long four-game home stand. For the U volleyball team, much has changed since the Utes last hosted a ranked opponent on Crimson Court.
When Utah hosted No. 6 Florida on Sept. 9, they were a team searching for a solidified lineup, team chemistry and experience winning tough games down the stretch. Now, they are a team looking to fix the little things and continue its four-game roll.
“We’re not even the same team,” head coach Beth Launiere said. “I think we’ve really settled into a lineup and we’re starting to flow. We’ve become a pretty good team without even realizing it, because we’ve kept our nose to the ground. We’ve got a lot of work still to do, but I’m excited.”
The Utes will have to continue the streak against a disciplined and well-oiled Aggie team.
New Mexico State features two good middle blockers who both own kill percentages above the 0.350 mark. Together, Amber Simpson, who stands at 6-foot-3, and Kim Oguh, have led the Aggies to a 0.272 hitting percentage that leads the Western Athletic Conference. To the casual MWC fan, leading the WAC might not sound that amazing, until one considers the WAC consists of teams like No. 12 Hawaii and a much-improved Utah State team.
“They’re big. They’re athletic. They’re physical,” Launiere said. “They run a very similar system to ours. They’re legitimate.”
If being ranked first in the WAC in hitting percentage isn’t telling enough of the offensive prowess the Aggies possess, the fact that they are fourth in the nation in kills per game (17.39) stands as a firm testament.
The Aggies also boast a good libero in Krystal Torres. The Aggie junior has compiled one of the best digs-per-game averages in the country with 5.44 per game. The combination of Torres on the floor and Simpson and Oguh above the net has allowed the Aggies to boast the lowest opponent hitting percentage (0.166) in the WAC. One thing that is for certain, there will be four Utah hitters on the floor who will test that conference-best average tonight.
With setters Keisha Fisher and Stephanie Shardlow settling into their roles on the team, Lori Baird, Whitney Webb, Kate Robison and Kat Haynie’s kill chances are crisper and more frequent.
“The setters are just doing a great job,” Launiere said.
Also rounding out a viable attacking option for the Utes is freshman Karolina Bartkowiak.
“Moving Karolina over to the right side was huge for us,” Launiere said.
Although the Utes’ hitting percentage (0.170) doesn’t jump off the page, the Utes have stayed competitive with their low hitting percentage (0.160) they are allowing opponents to hit.
“We’re not very good statistically at times,” Launiere said. “We’re not even talking about stats that much this year. We’re just trying to get better and focus on this team winning.”
The Utes will return to conference action as they play host to New Mexico and then TCU over the weekend.