Volleyball: Aggies Fall to Liberty in Straight Sets on the Road

LYNCHBURG, Va. – NM State Volleyball continued Conference USA play on Friday evening, taking on Liberty inside Liberty Arena. Despite several strong individual performances and a competitive third set, the Aggies fell to the Flames in straight sets. 

Set-by-set: Liberty def. NM State 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-22) 

FIRST SET 

The opening frame featured two ties and one lead changes as the Aggies battled early. Kills from Tess Fuqua, Maggie Lightheart and Ashley Herman helped NM State stay within reach, but Liberty used a late run to create separation and secure a 25-16 victory. 

Tallying one of the lowest kill totals for a match this season (5), Maggie Lightheart still managed to push her career total over the 600-kill mark.

SECOND SET 

NM State responded with a stronger offensive effort in the second stanza, recording 13 kills. Ashley Herman posted three kills and Lilli Saldivar added two key kills as the Aggies closed to within 24-21 late in the frame. However, Liberty held on for a 25-21 win to take a 2-0 match lead. 

THIRD SET 

The Aggies delivered their best offensive set of the night in the final frame, pushing the Flames throughout. Ashley Herman recorded three kills, Jaelynn Kohli added another three kills and Maggie Lightheart contributed a service ace during a key stretch. NM State fought back to tie the set at 21-21 before Liberty scored four of the final five points to claim a 25-22 victory. 

“Liberty was really efficient offensively, which is what you’d expect from a veteran team. We didn’t match their performance unfortunately.” 

~Head Coach Mike Jordan

BY THE NUMBERS

1. Tess Fuqua, Ashley Herman and Jaelynn Kohli shared the team lead with seven kills apiece. 
2. Makayla Martinez anchored the back row with 10 digs, marking her 17th match of the season with double-digit digs. 
3. Paige Nelson and Katrina Catalan combined for 24 assists and 14 digs. 
4. NM State totaled 49 digs and five team blocks. 

UP NEXT 

NM State will conclude its two-match conference series against Liberty on Saturday, Oct. 10, inside Liberty Arena. First serve is scheduled for 11 a.m. MT as the Aggies look to split the weekend series and earn another Conference USA road victory. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+, and live stats available at nmstatesports.com/stats. 

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