Sept. 10, 2005
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS - UNLV (3-5) won one and lost one Saturday in its final day hosting the UNLV Volleyball Classic at the Cox Pavilion. The Rebels only victory of the Classic came in a four-game match against Rutgers (30-20, 23-30, 30-16, 30-17). In the finale of the Classic, 22nd-ranked Long Beach State overpowered the Rebels in the fifth and deciding game. The 49ers won the match: 16-30, 30-25, 30-20, 22-30, 15-11.
In the opening game of Saturday's session, UNLV split the first two games against Rutgers, but managed to take the final two for its first home victory of the season. The Rebels out hit the Scarlet Knights 64-to-43 in the kill department and held a .243 to .122 hitting advantage.
Maria Aladjova led the Rebels in kills for the fourth-consecutive match with 17 and 20, respectively, coming in her two matches today. Aladjova's 17 kills were good for a .324 hitting percentage against Rutgers, while her 20 kills went for a .366 hitting percentage versus Long Beach State. She also kept alive her double-double streak which reached to three games after the LBSU match. Her kill numbers were also good enough for match highs in both matches.
UNLV registered three double-doubles against Rutgers with Aladjova (17 kills, 13 digs), Michelle Banks (13 kills, 15 digs) and Brittani Lumsden (12 kills, 10 digs). Melody Nua had 53 assists to help in the kill department. Jada Walker and Banks led the team in digs with 15 apiece.
In the nightcap, UNLV took game one, but dropped games two and three before rallying to send the match to a fifth game. LBSU held a .311 to .211 hitting advantage over UNLV, while the Rebels' streak of games in positive hitting figures was snapped in the third game with a -.067 hitting percentage. The streak had reached a season-high 21-games and spanned over 5.5 matches. UNLV did tally one more kill (75) in the match, than Long Beach State's 74.
The Rebels were led by double-doubles by Aladjova (20 kills, 10 digs) and Lumsden (12 kills, 12 digs). Mariana Pencheva tallied 17 kills, while Lauren Miramontes put down 13, as well. Nua had a match-high 56 assists. Four Rebels placed in double-figures in the dig department: Walker-15, Banks-15, Lumsden-12, Aladjova-10.
The 49ers had four players smash double-digit kill numbers with Alexis Crimes led the team with 18. Nicole Vargas had 51 assists to Heather Laudato's 23 digs.
The 2005 UNLV Volleyball Classic All-Tournament TeamRachel VanMeter, Sr., OH, IllinoisAnastasia Yartseva, Jr., OH, LouisvilleAlexis Crimes, So., MB, Long Beach StateLora Yankauskas, Jr., OH, RutgersMaria Aladjova, So., OH, UNLVMelody Nua, Fr., S, UNLV
MVP - Lena Ustymenko, Sr., OH, Louisville
2005 UNLV Volleyball Classic Final Standings1) Louisville, 2-12) Long Beach State, 2-1 Illinois, 2-14) UNLV, 1-25) Rutgers, 0-3
