Aug. 27, 2016
Box Score
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The Rebel volleyball team swept the New Mexico State Aggies (1-2) Saturday afternoon in the Cox Pavilion and, in doing so, claimed the UNLV Volleyball title behind a perfect 3-0 record. The Scarlet & Gray dispatched the WAC's preseason favorite and reigning champion with ease behind set scores of 25-21, 25-17, 25-21.
The 3-0 start to the 2016 campaign marks the sixth instance in program history (1979, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2015) that a squad has remained perfect through three matches. In fact, this weekend's feat is the fourth instance (1979, 1999 and 2015) that it's happened at home.
The Rebels have packaged those back-to-back 3-0 starts -- six wins -- with 11 more for a total of 17 wins in 19 contests played at home in the Cox Pavilion. This stretch began with a 3-1 triumph over the San Diego State Aztecs on Nov. 25, 2014 -- the season finale.
UNLV outhit NMSU by 137 points (.283 to .146) with help from six more kills (99-96) and eight fewer errors (12-20). The home side hit better than .300 in two sets with a .306 effort (14-3-26) in the first set and a match-best .333 output (14-4-30) in the third. The Aggies, on the other hand, hit no better than .219 in any frame, and they were limited to .100 (second set) and .118 (third) showings the rest of the match.
Bree Hammel, the UNLV Invitational MVP, hit .419 and led all with 14 kills. Hammel also added four digs, three assisted blocks and one ace.
Alexis Patterson and Elsa Descamps were also selected to the all-tournament team. The former had a match-high 28 assists to go along with seven digs while the latter hit .400 and threw down 10 kills. Defensively, Descamps also had six assisted blocks and three digs.
Carly Riehl paced the Rebel back row and registered a team-high 12 digs.
NMSU got a double-double from Jordan Abalos, as she combined 10 kills with 11 digs for the feat. Brianna Ainsworth and Ariadnne Sierra led the Aggies in assists (19) and digs (16), respectively.
Joining Descamps, Hammel and Patterson on the seven-person all-tourney squad were UC Santa Barbara's Lindsey Ruddins and Phoebe Grunt, NMSU's Sasha-Lee Thomas and Albany's Nicole Otero.
Prior the UNLV-NMSU match, UCSB defeated Albany, 3-1, and claimed second place with a 2-1 record. NMSU (1-2) and Albany rounded out the standings in third and fourth.
The Rebels remain home for their second and final home tournament -- the UNLV Challenge -- next weekend. The two-day affair will run September 2-3, and it'll include Sacramento State, Hofstra and Cal State Northridge. UNLV will square off against Sacramento State (10:00 am) and Hofstra (7:00 pm) next Friday.
Additionally, the Rebels will host the Shandong China Junior Team on September 7 (6:00 pm) before hitting the road for a two-week stretch.
Tickets for all home matches can be purchased at UNLVTickets.com or by calling 702-739-FANS (3267). Kids 12 and under are always free.
NOTES: With help from her 12 digs Saturday, Riehl moved solely into seventh place in digs (934) in the program's all-time record book ... Descamps six assisted blocks tied a career high, which was previously attained at San Jose State on Oct. 22, 2015.
