Box Score

TEMPE, Ariz. (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV volleyball team (6-5) lost a hard-fought, four-set match to the #6 Illinois Fighting Illini (9-1) Saturday morning at Arizona State's Wells Fargo Arena. UNLV, who got a combined 21 kills from Sadie Stutzman and Bree Hammel, took the third set against Illinois by a 25-21 score in the 3-1 decision (18-25, 12-25, 25-21, 16-25) on the second day of the Sun Devil Invitational.

The aforementioned Rebel duo hit .425 in the match, as Stutzman registered a career-high .474 efficiency to Hammel's .381. The former led the Scarlet & Gray in kills with 11 and also had a career-best eight digs, while the latter chipped in three digs and two total blocks (one solo).

Overall, UNLV hit .173 in the match compared to Illinois' .268. The Rebels' best showing came in the third with a .289 average, but that was countered by a low of .000 in the fourth. The Fighting Illini, on the other hand, hit .351 and .448 in the first and second sets, respectively, before it was held to .109 (third set) and .231 (fourth) the remainder of the contest. Illinois managed to tally 11 more kills (56-45) and threw fewer errors (19-22) in five more attack attempts (138-133).

"We competed hard this morning against one of the top teams in the country," said UNLV head coach Cindy Fredrick. "Offensively, we were better today, but still need a much more balanced offense. Sadie and Bree were very solid offensively and I thought we blocked well."

Alexis Patterson had a team-high 36 assists, but fell one dig shy of another double-double with nine in the affair. Patterson also added three kills.

The Rebels had four players notch at least eight digs in the bout with Carly Riehl pacing the quartet with 16. Alyssa Wing's eight rounded out the foursome of Riehl, Stutzman and Patterson.

The Fighting Illini got double-doubles from Jocelynn Birks and Jordyn Poulter. Birks paired 15 kills with 10 digs, while Poulter combined a match-high 46 assists with 10 digs for the feat. Katie Stadick led all players in kills with 16, while Brandi Donnelly tied Riehl for the match lead in digs with 16.

UNLV closes out its stay at the Sun Devil Invitational Saturday at 5:00 pm vs. Texas Southern.