Oct. 6, 2016 Box Score
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV volleyball team defeated the Wyoming Cowgirls, 3-1, Thursday night in the Cox Pavilion behind a foursome of players that registered 10 or more kills apiece. With the win by set scores of 25-19, 25-23, 25-27, 25-14, the Rebels improved to 16-1 on the year and stayed perfect in Mountain West play with a 5-0 mark. The loss set the Cowgirls back to 10-7 overall and 3-1 in the MW.
Bree Hammel led the Rebels with a double-double that consisted of 13 kills and 11 digs, but it was her serving that was most notable, as she tied the program's single-match record with eight aces in front of a season-high 886 spectators.
The victory is the ninth straight by the Scarlet & Gray at home this season and it is only one off the program-best 10 consecutive wins the 2015 squad reeled off one year ago. Dating back to the '15 finale -- a 3-1 win over Fresno State, UNLV has won 10 in a row at home, and that tally is only one shy of the record 11 that spanned the '14 finale -- a 3-1 triumph over San Diego State through those first 10 in '15.
UNLV outhit Wyoming by 79 points (.238 to .159) with major advantages in both kills (61-41) and total attempts (151-132), although the former committed five more errors (25-20). The Rebels best hitting took place in the fourth and final frame with a .375 showing that came from 15 kills against three errors and 32 swings. In the three previous frames, UNLV hit between .118 (second) and .250 (third). The Cowgirls, on the other hand, cranked out their best hitting clip in the third with a .242 efficiency. They also hit .219 in the fourth; however, they only produced .130 and .068 efforts in the first two stanzas.
"What a great team effort; Sadie (Stutzman) and Alyssa (Wing) hit really well and Elsa (Descamps) and Ashley (Owens) put the ball down hard," said head coach Cindy Fredrick. "I thought our defense played well tonight picking up a lot of their shots. Bree was a serving highlight; her serves were just amazing tonight."
Sadie Stutzman led the team with 15 kills off a .394 hitting effort, and she helped out defensively with eight digs.
Ashley Owens and Alyssa Wing had 10 kills apiece. The former, which hit a team-best .421, added four total blocks (two solo) while the latter provided four digs, two assists and two total blocks (one solo).
Alexis Patterson dished out a match-high 53 assists -- 16 more than Wyoming had as a team -- and also had five kills, four digs, two assisted blocks and one ace.
Defensively, Elisa Woinowsky led the team with 15 digs. Besides Woinowsky's, Hammel's and Stutzman's contributions, the Rebels also got nine more digs from Carly Riehl.
Wyoming got double-doubles from Kayla Slofkiss (16 kills/11 digs) and Courtney Chacon (30 assists/12 digs). Laura Beach also chipped in 13 kills, three digs and three assisted blocks. Madi Fields led all in digs with 18.
UNLV remains home and will face the Colorado State Rams (10-5, 4-0 MW) Saturday afternoon (3:00 pm) in the Cox Pavilion. The bout will feature the final two undefeated teams through 2.5 weeks of Conference play. The first 300 fans in attendance will receive a free "Rebel Red" headband.
NOTES: UNLV's win Thursday night snapped a four-match losing streak to Wyoming ... Hammel's eight aces are tied with Patricia Assuncao (Oct. 18, 2001 vs. Air Force), Denise Brooks (Oct. 12, 1984 vs. UC San Diego) and Christel Eves (Sept. 11, 1999 vs. Maryland) for the program's single-match record.
