LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV volleyball team hosted the Shandong China Junior Team in an exhibition match at the Cox Pavilion Wednesday evening. Although the Rebels came out on the wrong end of a 3-1 decision, they became the first collegiate squad to take a set and, subsequently, force Shandong into more than three frames of action.

The Rebels were led by nine kills, nine assists and a .333 hitting effort from Alexis Patterson, who also chipped in three assisted blocks, three digs and a pair of aces. Caitlin Wernentin and Elsa Descamps contributed six kills apiece while Josie Herbst added five of her own.

Natalie Bulen paced the Rebel offense with 18 assists to go along with six digs.

Defensively, the Scarlet & Gray got a match-best 13 digs from Carly Riehl and another six from Laura Butler.

In the third-set win, UNLV fell behind by as much as six points (14-8) before it began a 10-2 run that propelled it to a two-point edge (18-16). Moments after Shandong scored a point to pull within one (18-17), the Rebels scored four more to lengthen their lead to five (22-17). Shandong outscored UNLV 5-3 over the final eight points, but the hosts only needed those three tallies to take the frame.

Shandong's Qian Zhang topped all attackers with a match-high 10 kills off a staggering .529 hitting efficiency, and she also contributed six total blocks (one solo). Jingwen Qian was the closest to registering a double-double, as she fell one kill and one dig shy with nine and nine, respectively.

The Chinese squad, which is comprised of players ranging from 17-20 years old, is in the midst of a two-week tour of training and shopping through the United States. The team has already made a sweep through Texas with 3-0 triumphs over St. Mary's, UTSA, Texas A&M and Southwestern.

UNLV, which has started the year 6-0, will hit the road for the next two weekends with matches in the Lone Star State and Beehive State. The Rebels will travel to South Texas for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's Islanders Classic this Friday and Saturday. They'll face the host Islanders at 11:00 am PT and UT Arlington Mavericks at 4:00 pm PT on day one before squaring off with UTA, once more, Saturday at 8:00 am PT. Following the Texas trek, the Rebels will play in the co-hosted BYU/UVU Challenge (September 16-17).

The Scarlet & Gray return to Las Vegas on September 22 (6:00 pm) to open Mountain West play against the Boise State Broncos. Two days later, UNLV will face the Air Force Falcons at 3:00 pm (September 24).