LA JOLLA, Calif. — UC San Diego women's volleyball fell to New Mexico State in a four-set match, 21-25, 16-25, 25-15 and 15-25, on Saturday afternoon in LionTree Arena. The Tritons (1-1) moved to 0-2 in the all-time series with the Aggies (2-1).
 
Molly McCluskey led the team with 11 kills and added 10 digs, contributing 14 points with her second consecutive double-double. Maria Fernanda Afonso also registered 11 kills in the contest. 
 
Maija Nepszy recorded 23 assists while also tallying 10 digs and three block assists for her first career double-double. Paulina Baillie excelled defensively with 17 digs, while Ireland McNees recorded a team-best four blocks. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
It was a back-and-forth battle in the opening set. The Tritons managed to keep pace with the Aggies, thanks to a notable service ace by Madison Johnson at 10-9 and a series of kills by McCluskey. Despite a commendable effort from the Tritons, including a late surge with McCluskey and Afonso contributing key points, the Aggies ultimately pulled ahead to take the set 25-21.
 
The second set began with the Tritons showing early promise as they moved ahead with a 5-3 lead, highlighted by kills from Jasmine Saran and Stefania Alupei. Nepszy's effective setting led to multiple scoring opportunities, and a service ace by Kayla Uhlick brought the score to 7-6 in favor of UCSD. However, NMSU capitalized on UCSD's attack errors and a service ace to surge ahead, taking the lead at 11-9. Despite a service ace from Johnson and a kill by Ireland McNees, the Aggies maintained their momentum, finishing the set 25-16.
 
The third set saw the Tritons take control early, with McCluskey securing the first point with a kill from Nepszy at the outset. The Tritons quickly built momentum with a 6-0 run, highlighted by Nepszy's service ace and the team's solid defensive play, extending their lead to 8-2. Saran and Afonso contributed pivotal kills, with Afonso's final kill, assisted by Nepszy, sealing the set 25-15 for the Tritons.
 
The fourth set began with the teams trading points to a 3-3 tie. Despite a strong start, UC San Diego faced a challenging stretch as the Aggies surged ahead with five-point scoring run. The Tritons attempted to regain momentum with key plays from Afonso and McCluskey, who both recorded kills, but ultimately, NMSU's consistent offensive pressure, culminating in a service ace, secured their 25-15 victory in the set.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Maija Nepszy recorded her first collegiate double-double in the contest and Molly McCluskey registered her second of the season.
• New Mexico State leads the all-time series 2-0.
• Starters included Maria Afonso, Paulina Baillie, Molly McCluskey, Ireland McNees, Maija Nepszy and Jasmine Saran.

UP NEXT
The Tritons will wrap up the final day of the UC San Diego Invitational on Sunday at 12 p.m., taking on Northwestern. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live statistics will be available via UCSDTritons.com.
 
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About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.