LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The Idaho volleyball team started slow and played inconsistent against preseason Western Athletic Conference favorite New Mexico State on Saturday, resulting in a 3-0 loss.

Idaho hit a season-low .067 in the match, while the Aggies hit .298, out-blocked the Vandals 11-6 and owned a 63-51 advantage in digs. The Vandals fall to 10-7 on the season and 3-2 in the WAC with the loss, while NMSU improves to 8-8 overall and 3-0 in the WAC.

Sophomore setter Meredith Coba had a double-double for Idaho, finishing with 15 assists and 10 digs. Senior Ashley Christman had a team-high eight kills for the Vandals, while Alyssa Schultz, Jessica Hastriter and Ali Forde each finished with five. Hastriter and Jenna Ellis each had a team-high 13 digs for Idaho. The Vandals ran a 6-2 offense for a majority of the match, and freshman Michele Brown tallied eight assists and four digs.

The Aggies jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first set and was in control the entire time, en route to a 25-15 win. Idaho led 11-8 midway through the second set, but a 7-0 New Mexico State run gave the Aggies the lead for good as the finished with a 25-18 win. NMSU broke a 4-4 tie in the third set with a 4-0 run and held the lead the rest of the set, closing out the match with a 25-19 win.

Idaho will play its third straight WAC road match next week when it visits Seattle U on Oct. 11 before returning home to host Kansas City and Chicago State on Oct. 17 and 19.