Match Twenty-Four
NM State (16-7, 7-4 WAC) vs. Dixie State (5-13, 4-6 WAC)
Thursday, Nov. 4 | 6:00 p.m. | Pan American Center | Las Cruces, N.M.
Watch | Live Stats | Tickets | NM State Match Notes | Dixie State Match Notes
THE FIRST SERVE
• After a stretch of five consecutive matches either on the road or at neutral sites, the NM State volleyball team returns to the familiar floor of the Pan American Center for the remainder of both the regular season and the WAC Tournament. The Aggies' first of four-straight home matches to conclude the regular season pits them against WAC foe Dixie State Thursday evening at 6:00 p.m.
• The WAC Digital Network is set to carry the fourth all-time meeting between the two programs.
SERIES HISTORY
Overall vs. Dixie State | 3-0 (1.000)
In Las Cruces, N.M. | 0-0
In St. George, Utah | 1-0 (1.000)
At neutral sites | 2-0 (1.000)
Streak | NM State won three
Last five matches | 3-0 (1.000)
Last 10 matches | 3-0 (1.000)
In three-set matches | 0-0
In four-set matches | 3-0 (1.000)
In five-set matches | 0-0
Jordan vs. Dixie State | 3-0 (1.000)
Hafoka vs. NM State | 0-1 (.000)
Last meeting | NM State 3, at Dixie State 1 (Sept. 25, 2021)
• NM State puts its 3-0 all-time record against Dixie State on the line Thursday evening inside the Pan American Center. All three of the previous matches between the Aggies and Trailblazers have been four-set affairs.
WAC ATTACK
• A new-look Western Athletic Conference is making its debut season in the 2021-22 season, and the Aggies are hoping to continue their dominance in the league.
• Now in his 24th season in charge at NM State, head coach Mike Jordan has been nothing short of masterful in league action throughout his tenure. The Aggies' bench boss owns an impressive 286-69 (.805) mark in regular-season WAC showdowns as well as a 30-12 (.714) record in WAC Tournament bouts.
• NM State has been especially effective in racking up all manner of WAC hardware through the last seven seasons. In that span, the Aggies are 87-12 (.879) against league opposition in regular-season tilts and have claimed five regular-season WAC crowns as well as a trio of WAC Tournament titles.
• Since joining the WAC in 2005, NM State has secured seven regular-season titles. All told, Jordan has claimed 11 conference titles since his run in Las Cruces began in 1998.
LAST TIME OUT | NM State 3, at Seattle U 0 | Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021
• NM State put the brakes on a two-match WAC losing skid by claiming its 15th-straight victory over Seattle U last Saturday afternoon at the Redhawk Center.
• Concluding its five-match swing of matches away from home on a strong note, NM State received a 13-kill performance by Shaney Lipscomb who hit an impressive .611 for the match.
• Katie Birtcil and Cat Kelly turned in nine terminations apiece to help lead a balanced Aggie attack.
• Five different players finished with at least one service ace for NM State, too, with Kelly turning in a pair to lead the way in that category. Kelly also finished one termination shy of a double-double after posting 13 digs.
• NM State won its first match of the year when allowing opponents to hit between .200 and .299. Seattle U finished with an attack percentage of .217.
ABOUT THE AGGIES
• With three regular-season WAC matches to go, NM State remains tied with Grand Canyon for second place in the league's West Division standings. The Aggies and Lopes both trail division-leading California Baptist by a single game.
• NM State leads the WAC in four statistical categories including assists per set (12.42), hitting percentage (.251), kills per set (13.45) and total assists (1,093). The Aggies are second in the league when it comes to opponent hitting percentage (.163) and rank 32nd nationally in that category as well.
• Senior middle blocker Lia Mosher moved up to 15th nationally in terms of hitting percentage after a pair of highly-efficient matches last week. Mosher's figure of .418 leads all WAC players.
• Two of the WAC's top ten kill leaders continue to be on the Aggies' roster. Junior Katie Birtcil leads the team and ranks seventh among all league players with 3.40 kills per set. Behind her is senior Shaney Lipscomb who ranks ninth in the league with 2.92 terminations per frame.
• Birtcil's run of five-straight matches with at least 10 kills came to end this past Saturday in Seattle. Lipscomb, however, extended her streak of double-digit kill matches to three with her 13-kill outing.
SCOUTING DIXIE STATE | ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATISTICS
• Four of the Trailblazers last five matches - and each of the last two - have resulted in setbacks for one of the WAC's newest members. In its lone match last week, Dixie State fell in three sets to visiting Chicago State.
• Three of the Trailblazers' five triumphs this season have come in true road matches. Dixie State's last road match saw it claim a five-set victory at WAC Southwest Division adversary Abilene Christian.
• Hannah Howard stands at the head of the line on offense for Dixie State. One of three players who average 2.00 kills per set or better, Howard puts down terminations at a rate of 2.50 per set. In addition to Howard, Megan Treanor (2.32 kills/set) and Whittnee Nihipali (2.17 kills/set) are also legitimate offensive threats for the Utah-based squad.
• One of the best front-row defensive players in the WAC, Kate Hardy ranks second in the league and leads Dixie State with 1.21 blocks per set. Another defender, one who resides primarily in the back row, who ranks among the league's statistical leaders is Dixie State libero Mykenna Nelson. Her 4.67 digs per set rank third among all WAC players.
COMING UP NEXT
• NM State puts the wraps on its two-match week Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. when the Aggies host Utah Valley. Fans can catch all the action between the Aggies and Wolverines on the WAC Digital Network.
++NM State++
