LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) volleyball team fell on the road to New Mexico State University 1-3 (27-29, 25-20, 15-25, 20-25) on Saturday at the Pan American Center.
 
UTRGV (12-9, 6-2 WAC) was led by senior Bojana Mitrovic who recorded 14 kills and 10 digs for her ninth double-double of the season and her fifth straight. Junior Ragni Steed Knudsen also recorded a double-double after posting 11 kills and 10 digs. Junior Gysell Zayas paced the defense with 19 digs while junior Dubravka Vujoja posted 25 assists and seven digs. 
 
Kassandra Tohm led the way for New Mexico State (15-7, 6-2 WAC) with 16 kills while Lia Mosher added 12 kills of her own. Ariadnee Sierra paced the defense with 23 digs and Briana Ainsworth led the offense with 27 assists. 
 
UTRGV fell behind in the first set 3-5 before battling back to tie it at seven after a kill by Mitrovic. UTRGV grabbed their first lead of the set at 8-7 after an attack error by New Mexico State. Later in the set, New Mexico State took the 15-10 lead before UTRGV rattled off five straight points to tie it up at 15. A kill by sophomore Barbara Silva pushed UTRGV's lead to 24-20 but New Mexico State went on a 5-0 run to grab the lead before taking the first set. 
 
UTRGV answered back in the second set as they jumped out to a 3-1 lead with a kill by Silva. They pushed their lead to 11-6 after a kill by freshman Veronika Jandova before New Mexico State rallied for five straight points to tie the set. An attack error by New Mexico State gave UTRGV the 13-12 lead that they would not relinquish as they finished off the second set. 
 
In the third set, New Mexico State took the first point after a kill by Mosher. A kill by Mitrovic got UTRGV within one at 4-5 but New Mexico State answered with five straight points to push their lead back to six. Later in the set, UTRGV made it 12-14 after a block by Silva and junior Alexandra Ecker but New Mexico State closed out the set with an 11-3 run to close it out. 
 
UTRGV jumped out the quick 4-0 lead in the fourth set but New Mexico State battled back to tie the set at six after a block by Tohm and Megan Hart. Both teams went back and forth before New Mexico State took the 10-9 lead, which they would not give back. UTRGV got within three at 17-20 after a New Mexico State service error but New Mexico State closed out the set and the match with 5-3 run. 
 
UTRGV will be back in action on October 26 when they travel to Chicago to face Chicago State University at 7 p.m.

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