Sept. 20, 1999

Thurs., Sept. 23 UNLV vs. No. 10 Pepperdine 7:00 p.m.
Match at Firestone Fieldhouse, Malibu, Calif. (3,104 capacity)

Sat., Sept. 25 UNLV vs. Santa Clara 7:00 p.m.
Match at Tos Pavilion, Santa Clara, Calif. (5,000 capacity)

LAS VEGAS - The UNLV volleyball team, which started the season a best-ever 7-0 before falling last week to No. 19 USC, will travel to No. 10 Pepperdine and Santa Clara this week. The Rebels will face Pepperdine in Malibu, Calif., at Firestone Fieldhouse (3,104) on Thursday, Sept. 23 at 7:00 p.m. UNLV will then travel north to Santa Clara, Calif., as it will face Santa Clara at Tos Pavilion (5,000) at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25.

THE OPPONENTS No. 10 Pepperdine (New Orleans (4-3) started out the season 7-0 before falling to No 12 Brigham Young on Saturday in five games. The Waves finished the 1998 season with an overall record of 19-11. Pepperdine is coached by Nina Matthiew who is in her 17th year at the school with a career head coaching record of 292-212. The Wavs are led by Stacy Rouwehorst (4.07 kpg) and Melissa Plass (12.24 apg).

Santa Clara (8-3) has won 8 of its last 9 matches after starting the season 0-2. The Broncos finished the 1998 season with an overall record of 20-10. Santa Clara is coached by John Wallace who is in his first year as a head coach. The Broncos are led by Ynez Carrasco (4.05 kpg) and Roz Pelayo (14.79) apg).

THE REBELS
UNLV (7-1) started off the year with a best-ever record of 7-0 before falling to No. 19 USC on Saturday in four games. UNLV returns nine players and five starters from last year's squad that finished the season with an overall record of 23-8. The Rebels finished tied for second in the Western Athletic Conference's Mountain Division with a mark of 11-3 and lost in the quarterfinals of the WAC Tournament to then-No. 6 BYU. Head Coach Deitre Collins is in her fourth season and has a career record of 44-49. The Rebels are led by Angie Sylvas (4.08 kpg) and Robyn Shea 11.12 apg)

NEW FACES
The Rebels welcome the addition of six newcomers in Shannon Chase, a 5-9 freshman outside hitter/defensive specialist from Las Vegas, Nev., who transferred to UNLV from Colorado State (but didn't play intercollegiate volleyball there), Alicia Erickson, a 6-4 sophomore middle blocker from Las Vegas, Nev., who transferred from Washington State, Oge Fitz, a 5-10 sophomore outside hitter from San Jose, Calif., who transferred from Cal State Fullerton, Maria Julia Goes, a 5-9 sophomore setter from Sorocaba, Brazil, who transferred from National American University, Leiana Oswald, a 6-0 freshman middle blocker from Burnaby, B.C., and Robyn Shea a 5-10 junior setter from Salt Lake City, Utah, who transferred from Weber State.

PROBABLE REBEL STARTERS

 No.  Player             Pos.  Ht.    Yr.-Exp.   Hometown/Last School   1999 UNLV Statistics14   Christel Eves      MB    5-10   Sr.-3V     Henderson, Nev./Basic HS   1.71 kpg, 1.79 dpg6    Jeanette Graves    OH    6-1    Sr.-1V     West Jordan, Utah/Salt Lake City CC   3.00 kpg, 1.07 dpg4    Justine Kamelamela OH    6-0    Jr.-2V     Aiea, Hawai'i/Maryknoll HS   3.58 kpg, 2.77 dpg17   Ana Ramos          DS    5-4    Jr.-2V     Honolulu, Hawai'i/Kamehameha HS   1.25 dpg, 0.25 sapg1    Robyn Shea          S    5-10   Jr.-TR     Salt Lake City, Utah/Weber State   11.12 apg, 1.71 dpg15   Angie Sylvas       OH    5-11   Sr.-1V     Las Vegas, Nev./San Jose State   4.08 kpg, 2.65 dpg

REBEL RETURNERS
The Rebels return nine players from last year's squad. Included in those nine are five seniors. The Rebels return two all-conference players in second team All-WAC selections Angie Sylvas and Justine Kamelamela. Sylvas, a 5-11 senior outside hitter, was also selected to the All-WAC Tournament Team last season. She led the team in kills per game and digs per game last season. Kamelamela, a 6-0 junior outside hitter, was second on the team in kills per game and third in digs per game. Also returning are Nora Bernson, a 5-10 sophomore outside hitter, Christel Eves, a 5-10 senior middle blocker, Danielle Gerlach, a 6-0 senior outside hitter, Amber Graham, a 5-11 sophomore middle blocker, Jeanette Graves, a 6-1 senior outside hitter, Ana Ramos, a 5-4 junior defensive specialist, and Kendra Wilkinson, a 5-4 senior defensive specialist.

LAST WEEK
Last week, UNLV split as the host of the UNLV Invitational to take second place in the tournament. On the first day, UNLV defeated New Orleans 15-8, 15-5, 15-6, and in the championship match on Saturday, UNLV fell to No. 19 USC 15-12, 4-15, 10-15, 13-15. Jeanette Graves and Amber Graham were both selected to the all-tournament team.

NEXT WEEK
UNLV will remain on the road for an early-week match at Nevada, Reno on Tuesday, Sept. 28. The Rebels will then come home to open Mountain West Conference play against San Diego State on Saturday, Oct. 2. Both matches are at 7:00 p.m.

SERIES HISTORY
UNLV leads the all-time series history with Pepperdine 1-0. UNLV won 3-1 in Albuquerque, N.M. on Sept. 7, 1985 in the two school's only meeting in volleyball. UNLV and Santa Clara have never met in volleyball.

UNLV CHOSEN TO FINISH FOURTH IN MWC BY COACHES
The 1999 Mountain West Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll predicted UNLV will finish fourth out of eight teams in the conference following the 1999 campaign. The following is the order that the MWC coaches predicted the conference will end up this season: Brigham Young, Colorado State, Utah, UNLV, Wyoming, New Mexico, San Diego State and Air Force.

UNLV RECEIVES VOTES IN PRESEASON POLL FOR FIRST TIME
For the first time in program history, the UNLV volleyball team opened a season after being mentioned in the USA Today/AVCA preseason national poll. UNLV received votes three separate weeks in 1998, but has never received prior mention in a preseason national poll. This year, the Rebels received one vote in the preseason poll. Topping the preseason poll was Penn State, followed closely by Stanford, Nebraska, Hawai'i and 1998 NCAA champion Long Beach State.

UNLV DOMINATES STATISTICALLY
UNLV has some impressive stats over its opponents after the first three weekends of play...UNLV is out-hitting its opponents .237 to .132 and has recorded 431 kills to 304. The Rebels have also recorded 383 assists to their opponents' 262, have recorded 61 service aces to their opponents' 37, and is out-digging opponents 383-331.

REBEL REWARDS
UNLV won the title of the Official All-Star Cafe/UNLV Volleyball Classic with a 3-0 mark. Senior Angie Sylvas was named MVP of the tournament, while senior Christel Eves and junior Robyn Shea were both named to the all-tournament team....UNLV was declared runner-up at the Maryland Tournament based on total games, even though both UNLV and Colorado State went 3-0 at the event. Junior Justine Kamelamela and sophomore Amber Graham were named to the all-tournament team...The Rebels took second place at the UNLV Invitational falling in the championship match to No. 19 USC in three games...Senior Jeanette Graves and sophomore Amber Graham were selected to the all-tournament team.

REBELS STARTED SEASON WITH BEST-EVER MARK
UNLV started the season with seven straight wins before dropping their first match of the year to No. 19 USC. The 7-0 record was UNLV's best start in program history. UNLV's previous best start was in 1979 and 1998, when the team started 5-0 both seasons. Currently at 7-1, UNLV has tied its best ever start after eight games. UNLV started the 1997 season 7-1. That year, after sustaining some injuries, the team lost its next 12 matches in a row.

EVES TIES REBEL MARK AT MARYLAND
Senior Christel Eves recorded 8 service aces against Maryland, which tied the Rebel record for most service aces in a match. In 1984, Debbie Brooks had 8 vs. UC San Diego.

REBEL DOUBLE-DOUBLES
So far this season, four Rebels have recorded a double-double in a match. Justine Kamelamela has three (16 kills, 13 digs vs. Louisville, 12 kills, 10 digs vs. Rutgers, 16 kills, 16 digs at Maryland), Angie Sylvas has three (21 kills, 17 digs vs. Louisville, 15 kills, 11 digs at Maryland, 18 kills, 12 digs vs. USC), Julia Goes has one (42 assists, 10 digs vs. Rutgers), and Jeanette Graves has one (12 kills, 11 digs vs. USC)

COLLINS BECOMES REBEL VB'S ALL-TIME WINNINGEST COACH
With UNLV's win over Southern Illinois, head coach Deitre Collins became the program's all-time winningest coach. The win over SIU was her 40th with the program and it surpassed Karen Lamb, who compiled 39 wins from 1987-85. Collins currently has 44.

UNLV DOMINATES AT HOME
UNLV has now won 17 of its last 19 home matches at Lied Gymnasium. The Rebels won 15 straight at home dating back to the 1998 season before losing to USC. The Rebels were 13-1 at home during the 1998 season.

REBELS LEAD CONFERENCE IN SERVICE ACES
UNLV is atop the Mountain West Conference statistical leaders in service aces with 2.18 per game...The Rebels are second in winning percentage (.875), third in hitting percentage (.237), fifth in kills (15.39) and assists (13.68), sixth in digs (13.68) and eighth in blocks (2.00)...Individually, UNLV has a player ranked in the MWC in each statistical category except blocks. hitting percentage Amber Graham is ninth (.286), in kills, Angie Sylvas is second (4.08), in assists, Robyn Shea is fifth (11.12) and Julia Goes is seventh (10.33), in service aces, Christel Eves leads the conference (0.54), while Sylvas and Justine Kamelamela are both tied for fourth (0.46), and in digs, Kamelamela is eighth (2.77) and Sylvas is 10th (2.65).

CAREER HIGHS SET THIS YEAR
Justine Kamelamela tied her career high of 16 digs at Maryland...Christel Eves tied her career high of 15 digs vs. Louisville...Eves tied both her career high of 9 block assists and 9 total blocks vs. New Orleans...Eves also recorded a career-high 8 service aces at Maryland as she tied the Rebel record for most service aces in a match...Amber Graham recorded a career-high7 digs vs. Louisville...Graham also tied her career high of 7 total blocks vs. Louisville and set a new career high of 3 block solos...Angie Sylvas recorded a career-high 6 service aces vs. Maryland...Jeanette Graves turned in a new career high of 4 assists vs. USC.

OTHER REBEL NOTES
UNLV had 17 service aces in its match at Maryland...That figure is only two off the UNLV record of 19 set at California in 1984...UNLV's next highest service ace total in a match this season is 9...UNLV had a season-high hitting percentage vs. New Orleans of .391...The Rebels have also recorded the following season-high totals for a match: 70 kills vs. Louisville, 193 attacks vs. Louisville, 57 assists vs. USC, 82 digs vs. Louisville, 10 total blocks three times...Jeanette Graves and Amber Graham both hit .643 against New Orleans (10 kills, 1 error, 14 attacks).

HEAD COACH DEITRE COLLINS
Head coach Deitre Collins is now in her fourth year at UNLV. Collins, who is a former member of the U.S. National Team and a three-time NCAA All-American middle blocker at Hawai'i, led UNLV to a 23-8 record in 1998. The team advanced to the semifinals of the WAC Tournament and recorded its best-ever win percentage for a season. For her efforts, Collins was honored with the 1998 WAC Mountain Division Co-Coach of the Year award. Before being named head coach of the 15th intercollegiate athletics program at UNLV on July 10, 1995, she served as an assistant at the University of South Alabama for one season (1994). Prior to that, she was an assistant at Houston (1993) and Northern Arizona (1993-94). Collins, who is the fourth coach in the history of Rebel volleyball, graduated from Hawai'i in 1995 with a bachelor of arts degree in broadcast communications. She was the first-ever volleyball player to be named the Broderick Cup recipient, earning the award as the best female collegiate athlete in 1983. Last season, Long Beach State's Misty May became the second. Collins also is a two-time Broderick Award honoree, being named the best collegiate volleyball player for the seasons of 1982 and 1983. Those same years, she led the Rainbow Wahine to consecutive NCAA championships as well as a record of 110-5 in her final three seasons. She is UNLV volleyball's all-time winningest coach by wins and her career head coaching record is 44-49.

ASSISTANT COACH KEVIN HAMBLY
Kevin Hambly (BYU, '98) is in his third year as assistant coach at UNLV. He is a former Brigham Young standout volleyball player, playing for the Cougars from 1992-95. The starting middle blocker from 1993-95, Hambly was a first-team All-American in 1995. He was the head coach of Highline, a men's club team in Northridge, Calif., prior to joining the Rebel coaching staff.

ASSISTANT COACH CARRIE PENFIELD
Carrie Penfield (Arizona '98) is in her first season as assistant coach at UNLV. Penfield came to UNLV from the U.S. National Team where she played from January to April, 1998. At Arizona, she was All-Pac-10 her senior season.

DIR. OF VOLLEYBALL KEE WILLIAMS
Kee Williams (Hawai'i '95) is in her second year with UNLV. Williams came to UNLV from the U.S. National Team where she was training before suffering a career-ending injury. A star at Hawai'i from 1990-94, she was a first-team All-American selection and a three-time All-Big West Conference honoree.

LAST YEAR
In only its third season back on campus after an 11-year hiatus, the 1998 UNLV volleyball team finished the season 23-8 and recorded its best winning percentage for a season in program history. The team finished second in the WAC's Mountain Division with an 11-3 mark. The team, which qualified for its second WAC Tournament, recorded its first-ever postseason win over Utah and advanced to the semifinals falling to No. 6 Brigham Young. Head Coach Deitre Collins was named the WAC's Mountain Division Co-Coach of the Year. The team eclipsed its win total of the year before of nine in only its 13th match of the season and set the record for most consecutive wins with 10 at one point during the year. UNLV was dominant at home, going 13-1 at the Lied Gymnasium.

LAST YEAR'S INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES
UNLV had three players named to the All-WAC team in 1998. Meri-de Boyer, who has graduated, was UNLV's first-ever first team All-WAC member, while Angie Sylvas and Justine Kamelamela were both selected to the second team. Sylvas was also named to the All-WAC Tournament Team, which made her the first Rebel ever to be named to that team. Christel Eves, Boyer and Kamelamela were all named WAC Player of the Week at one point during the season. Kamelamela was named to the all-tournament team of the Carolina Classic, the Official All-Star Cafe/UNLV Volleyball Classic and the Nanook Classic. Eves was on the all-tournament team at the Carolina Classic. Sylvas was named MVP of the Nanook Classic, while Boyer was named all-tournament at the Nanook Classic.

COACHES' POLL

     School              National Rank1.   Brigham Young       No. 72.   Colorado State      No. 243.   Utah                Received Votes4.   UNLV                Received Votes5.   Wyoming6.   New Mexico7.   San Diego State8.   Air Force

                 MWC Matches    All Matches                 W   L   Pct.   W   L   Pct.Colorado St.     0   0   .000   10  0   1.000UNLV             0   0   .000   7   1   .875BYU              0   0   .000   6   1   .857Air Force        0   0   .000   9   2   .818Utah             0   0   .000   7   3   .700San Diego State  0   0   .000   6   4   .600Wyoming          0   0   .000   5   6   .455New Mexico       0   0   .000   4   8   .333

UNLV'S RECORD WHEN IT:
wins the first game.. 7-1
wins the second game.. 5-0
wins the third game.. 7-0
wins the fourth game.. 1-0
plays a three-game match.. 5-0
plays a four-game match.. 1-1
plays a five-game match.. 1-0
has more kills than opp.. 7-1
has fewer kills than opp.. 0-0
has equal kills as opp.. 0-0
has higher hitting % than opp.. 6-0
has lower hitting % than opp.. 1-1
has equal hitting % as opp.. 0-0
has more team blocks than opp.. 4-0
has fewer team blocks than opp.. 2-1
has equal team blocks as opp.. 1-0
has more digs than opp.. 6-0
has fewer digs than opp.. 0-1
has equal digs as opp.. 1-0
has more assists than opp.. 7-1
has fewer assists than opp.. 0-0
has equal assists as opponent.. 0-0
has more service aces than opp.. 6-0
has fewer service aces than opp.. 1-1
has equal service aces as opp.. 0-0