Oct. 16, 2008
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS - The UNLV volleyball team (12-8 overall, 5-2 Mountain West) knocked off the 13th-ranked Colorado State Rams (16-2, 6-1) by a 3-1 score on Thursday night in the Cox Pavilion. The Rams entered the contest riding a 13-match unbeaten streak, but succumbed to UNLV for the third-straight time in Las Vegas. CSU jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead, but watched as the Rebels' defense was too much for the Rams' attack. UNLV won by set scores of 20-25, 25-19, 25-23, 25-21.
The Rams out-hit the Rebels by a .198 to .184 margin, but couldn't overcome the home team's defense. CSU hit in the .200s in the first three sets (.234, .237 and .244), but fell below .100 in the third with a .096. UNLV, on the other hand, began slowly with a .049 in the first, but came out strong in the second with a .293 and followed with a .195 (third) and .196 (fourth).
The key to the match was UNLV's defense. The Rebels amassed a season-high 84 digs with five student-athletes collecting nine or more. Camille Cunningham led the way with a match-high 28 and was joined in double-figures by Melody Nua and Samantha Richard. Kela Lau Hee and Gerryn Moran picked up nine digs each in helping slow the CSU attack.
Besides helping out defensively, Nua was a major factor in UNLV's offensive output. She combined a team-high 42 assists with her 10 digs for her eighth double-double of the season and 35th of her career.
UNLV's offensive was led by a trio of Rebels with 10-plus kills. Jessica Walters led the way with her 16 kills, while hitting a team-high .333. Erin Greenwood and Cursty Jackson followed closely behind Walters' production with 13 and 12 kills, respectively.
The loss by CSU overshadowed a record-setting night by the Rams' Ashley Fornstrom, who broke the conference's all-time assist mark. Fornstrom entered the night needing three assists and wound up notching a match-high 47. She now sits atop the league standings with 4,877 career dishes.
Fornstrom joined Nua in the double-double category, as she added 10 digs with her 47 assists.
Jaime Strauss and Mekana Barnes led the Ram attack with 21 and 15 kills, respectively. Strauss came one dig shy of a double-double, as she notched nine. Barnes was the top hitter with a .310 efficiency.
CSU had four players achieve 10 or more digs with Katelin Batten topping all with 18. Audrey Hemmings had 11, while Jacque Davisson and Fornstrom pitched in 10 apiece.
UNLV returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 18 (1:00 pm) against the Wyoming Cowgirls (3-13, 2-5). The match will close out the first half of MWC action for both teams. The Cowgirls come to Las Vegas following a 3-2 loss at San Diego State Thursday night.
