NM State drops home match with UTEP to open three-match weekend.
Source: NMSU Athletics
By Izzy Palmisano
Photos: Courtesy
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – NM State Volleyball welcomed rival UTEP to the Pan American Center on Thursday night for the second and final Battle of I-10 matchup of the season. Despite battling through 19 ties and multiple late-set rallies, the Aggies fell to the Miners in straight sets.
Set-by-set: NM State loses 0-3 (25-27, 17-25, 24-26)
FIRST SET
The opening frame was a back-and-forth affair, featuring 10 ties and two lead changes. El Paso native Jaelynn Kohli and fifth-year Ashley Herman led the offensive charge for the Crimson & White, building a 19-15 lead following a 4-1 run that forced a UTEP timeout. The Miners would battle back to force ties at 22-22, 24-24 and 25-25, while reaching set point three different times before narrowly escaping with a 27-25 victory.
SECOND SET
The visitors began set two with a 10-5 edge, gaining separation and forcing an early Aggie timeout. Tess Fuqua recorded five kills in the stanza, while Jacqueline Corcoran made the most of her opportunities, contributing two late kills to keep the Aggies within reach. Despite the effort, the Miners secured a 25-17 win to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
THIRD SET
An announced crowd of 1,828 – the largest of the season and most since Oct. 2025 (2,008) – fired up NM State in the third and eventual final set, taking a quick 4-1 lead. The three-point advantage would be the most for either team through most of the set, fighting through seven ties and four lead changes. Three consecutive Maggie Lightheart kills followed by a Miner attack error saw the Crimson & White take a 22-18 set advantage. However, an 8-1 UTEP run down the stretch closed the game 26-24, and the match 3-0.
“Credit to UTEP, they played better late in sets. We made some mistakes you can’t make, especially some veterans. We had a lot of opportunities and just didn’t cash in. We have to learn from it, and we have a short turnaround to get ready for tomorrow.”
~Head Coach Mike Jordan
BY THE NUMBERS
- NM State falls to 1-6 in their last seven meetings with UTEP – the lone victory coming in El Paso, Texas, when the Aggies advanced to the 2024 Conference USA Championship game.
- The Aggies hit just .110 in the three-set loss on Thursday night, the lowest of the season and the worst hitting percentage as a team since Nov. 1, 2025 (at LA Tech).
- Finishing with just two service aces on the night, NM State ties its season low (Aug. 28, vs. Tulsa)
- Posting a game-high 12 kills, Las Cruces native Tess Fuqua recorded her seventh game with at least 10+ kills this season.
- Makayla Martinez recorded a match-high of 18 digs, her most in a single match since notching a season-best 20 in the opener against Tulsa (Aug. 28).
- Maggie Lightheart finished with 10 digs on Thursday night, her most in a contest this season. Her four total blocks are her most since Sept. 17, 2025 (vs. New Mexico, 5).
- Jacqueline Corcoran recorded five against UTEP, tying her career high set on Sept. 3, in a win over UC Irvine in Fresno.
- Tallying 20 assists and 11 digs on the night, setter Katrina Catalan tallied her sixth consecutive match with 20 or more helpers and walked away with her third double-double of the season.
UP NEXT
NM State will continue play in the Borderland Classic on Friday, Sept. 11, hosting UC San Diego inside the Pan American Center. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. MT, with the match stream live on ESPN+, with live stats available at nmstatesports.com/stats.
For complete coverage of NM State Volleyball, follow us on Twitter (@NMStateVBall), Instagram (@NMStateVBall) and like us on Facebook (NM State Volleyball). You can also follow along with Aggie Volleyball via NMStateSports.com.
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