(Albuquerque, N.M. – Sept. 2, 2023) - The Utah Tech volleyball team escaped with a back-and-forth five-set victory over New Mexico to wrap up play at the Lobo Invitational on Saturday afternoon at The Pit.

The Trailblazers (3-3), who won two of their three matches in the tournament, rallied after losing the opening set, 27-25 to win the second and third sets by scores of 25-14 and 26-24, respectively. After New Mexico (4-2) won the fourth set, 25-16, Utah Tech again fought back in the fifth set to claim a 15-9 win to seal the match.

Led by three Trailblazers with double digit kills, Kennedi Knudsen and Hannah Howard totaled 16 and 13 kills, respectively, while Tricia Tua'one added 10 kills and a team-high eight blocks. Freshman setter Marley Roe led the team with 32 assists and added 15 digs while fellow freshman Mya Laufiso led the Blazers in digs with 18.

After falling behind 22-17 in the opening set, the Trailblazers ripped off a 7-0 run to come within one point of taking the opener. Unfortunately, the Lobos had other ideas rallying back with two points to knot the set at 24 and after a kill by Howard again put UT on the brink of closing things out, UNM secured the final three points of the set for an early 1-0 lead.

The Blazers answered back with a dominant second set using a 7-0 run to extend an 8-7 lead to 15-7 and tallied the final three points of the set to level the match at one set apiece.

A hard-fought third set saw the Trailblazers lead for the majority of the action before the Lobos rallied late to even the set at 23. After Tua'one & Reese registered a block assist to put UT ahead 24-23, the Lobos tied the match at 24 with a kill, but the Blazers answered right back with the final two points of the set after a Lobo attack error and service ace from Kendyl Holt.

With the Lobos knotting up the match at two sets apiece with a 25-16 win in set four, the Trailblazers found an extra gear in the fifth set. Extended to a fifth set for the second time this season, the Blazers used a 5-0 run to take a 9-5 lead after a kill by Knudsen. A kill by Reese kept Utah Tech's lead at four leading 11-7 and prompted a UNM timeout. Out of the break, UT notched four of the set's final six points to complete the thrilling win for the Trailblazers.

Utah Tech returns to the court next weekend to host Fresno State (2-3) on Friday and Saturday at Burns Arena.
 

LOBO INVITATIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT AWARDS
TOURNAMENT CHAMPS: New Mexico
TOURNAMENT RUNNERS-UP: Utah Tech

PLAYER               POS     SCHOOL
Athina Dimitriadis      MB     New Mexico
Kaitlynn Biassou       OH     New Mexico
Erin Jones            S/RS    St. John's
Rashanny S. Smith      L      St. John's
Sydney Reese         OH    Utah Tech
Taela Laufiso           S      Utah Tech
Breklyn Pulling         MB     CSUB
Ava Palm              OH     CSUB