TUCSON, Ariz. - Arizona volleyball defeated William & Mary in four sets (25-21, 25-27, 25-19, 25-13) in its first game of the Wildcat Classic before defeating New Mexico State in five in the nightcap (25-20, 22-25, 25-16, 25-21, 15-11).

Tyler Spriggs and Paige Whipple stood out in both matches, giving the Wildcats plenty of offense from the pins. They each notched UA's first two 20-kill efforts of 2017 with career-highs on Friday. Whipple went for 24 vs. William & Mary while Spriggs had 21 vs. New Mexico State. In the two matches combined, Spriggs averaged 4.22 kill/set on .387 hitting while Whipple averaged 4.00 kills/set with 3.11 digs/set to go with them.

"I'm really proud of my outside hitters Paige and Tyler who did a terrific job and worked hard in both matches," said head coach Dave Rubio. "Overall, it's a good step for us and something we needed for experience with the young group."

Spriggs, who started just one of Arizona first six matches of 2017, earned the start in both matches on Friday.

"Tyler earned the starting spot today because of how she practiced during the week," said Rubio. "It's nice to have depth and when you have depth you have the opportunity to move people in and out depending on how they practice. And no one's that far out in front of anybody that they're just going to be written in the line-up every time. Effort counts, execution counts in practice. I really liked what Tyler had done in practice and that led me to put her in"

Match 1: Arizona 3, William & Mary 1 (25-21, 25-27, 25-19, 25-13)

Paige Whipple had a career-high 24 kills on .370 hitting, leading the way for Arizona, in a four-set victory over William & Mary on Friday afternoon in McKale Center.

The Wildcats, competing in their final nonconference tournament of 2017, improved to 5-2 with the win. William & Mary fell to 2-9.

Whipple and Tyler Spriggs, who added 17 kills on .516 hitting, led the offensive attack for UA. The Cats outhit the Tribe .345-.182.

Arizona notched 13 blocks in the match, seven of which came in the first set. It marked the seventh time in seven matches that the Wildcats have amassed double-digit blocks.

In the first set, the Wildcats used seven blocks to overwhelm the Tribe, holding William & Mary to .067 hitting. McKenzie Jacobson led the way with three kills and four blocks in the set.

William & Mary took the second set, fighting off a furious Wildcat rally that included fighting off a pair of set points. But the Cats could not close it out as the Tribe hung on to win, 27-25.

The Wildcats came out on fire in the third set, hitting .459 in the frame with 19 kills to take the set, 25-19. Whipple had nine kills on just 15 swings.

Arizona finished off the Tribe with a 25-13 victory in the fourth.

Match 2: Arizona 3, New Mexico State 2 (25-20, 22-25, 25-16, 25-21, 15-11)

Tyler Spriggs needed just 49 kills to net a career-high 21 kills, including a monster stretch in the middle of the fifth set in which she totaled four kills and a solo block to help turn around the final frame in which the Cats trailed 9-4.

New Mexico State, which trailed two sets to one after three, won the fourth convincingly and then came out on fire in the fifth. The Aggies scored three of the first four, and then nine of the first 13 before Spriggs and the Wildcats came to life. In addition to Spriggs' offense, UA also had four blocks in the fifth set, four of their 16 for the match.

UA's 16 blocks marked the eighth match in eight tries that the Wildcats reached double-digit blocks. The 16 tonight were the most all year and most since putting down 16 at California on Nov. 1, 2015. Jade Turner led the Wildcats with a career-high eight blocks. Devyn Cross added seven.

Julia Patterson and Paige Whipple both set career highs in digs with huge double-doubles. Patterson had 18 digs to go along with 47 assists while Whipple led the team with 19 digs and added 12 kills.

Arizona hit .300 in the opening set and earned a 25-20 victory in the first frame.

The Aggies evened up the match with a 25-22 victory in the second.

After the Cats dominated the third, 25-16, New Mexico State forced a fifth set with a hard-fought 25-21 victory in the fourth.

Up Next: Arizona wraps up the Wildcat Classic on Saturday at 1 p.m. vs. Illinois State. To see the complete Wildcat Classic schedule, click HERE.