FRESNO, Calif. (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV volleyball team began its road swing through the Golden State with a 3-1 loss to the Fresno State Bulldogs at the Save Mart Center Thursday evening. The Rebels (13-6 overall, 4-3 MW) evened the match at 1-all after two sets of play; however, the host Bulldogs (13-6, 5-1) claimed the third and fourth to win the Mountain West contest by set scores of 25-10, 22-25, 25-20, 25-17.
 
FS outhit UNLV by .123 points (.324 to .201); however, the latter held advantages in both kills (49-47) and attack attempts (134-108). The primary difference between the two squads were the attack errors, as the Bulldogs only misfired 12 times to the Rebels' 22. The hosts hit a staggering .909 (10-0-11) in the opening set and then stayed within .237 (second set) and .300 (third) the remainder of the match. The Rebels; on the other hand, had their best showing in the second with a .333 (17-3-42), but were held in the .100s the rest of the contest.
 
The Bulldogs also owned the edge at the service line and on defense, as they aced six more serves (11-5) and committed eight fewer errors (6-14), while blocking four more attempts (7.0-3.0) and digging 11 more balls (55-44).
 
TURNING POINT: After UNLV evened the match at 1-all, FS opened the third with a 4-0 run that eventually grew to six points, 18-12, later in the set. The Bulldogs had to weather an outburst by the Rebels that saw them win seven of the next nine points to cut the deficit to one, 20-19. FS wound up regaining the momentum to end the set on a 5-1 clip to push ahead 2-1. 
 
In the fourth, UNLV led by four on two different occasions, 9-5 and 10-6, but was unable to hold onto the lead as FS went on a 5-1 run to even the set at 11-all. The Bulldogs then won 14 of the following 20 points to secure the set and the match.
 
STAT OF THE GAME: FS did not commit an error in the first set en route to its .909 hitting efficiency, as they connected on 10 kills off its 11 swings.
 
STAT OF THE GAME, PART TWO: The lead never changed hands in the first three sets, as the squad that claimed the first point went on to the win. There was also only one lead change in both the first and second, while there were not any in the third. The fourth; however, featured four ties and three lead changes.
 
REBEL OF THE GAME: Setter Antonette Rolda dished out 40 assists, which tied for the match high, and added a season-high four kills off .429 hitting, seven digs and one ace.
 
REBEL NOTES:
- UNLV holds a one-match advantage in the all-time series with FS at 10-8 after Thursday's contest.
- UNLV is now 5-5 in matches played away from Las Vegas and the Cox Pavilion with .500 records in both road (3-3) and neutral (2-2) affairs; however, it is 8-1 at home.
- With her 16 kills, Mariena Hayden has now thrown down 15 or more in the last 13 contests. Hayden has reached double digits in kills in all 19 bouts.
- Hayden notched her team-best 12th double-double with the combination of 16 kills and a team-high 12 digs.
- Hayden had two aces to give her 66 for the year and 109 for her career, which into a tie for second place with Patricia Assuncao (2000-03).
- Elsa Descamps had two assisted blocks in the match and she sits fourth in the program's all-time record book with 335. Descamps is also ranked fifth in total blocks (388) and eighth in solo blocks (53).
 
NEXT FOR THE REBELS: UNLV will remain in California and venture to San Diego to face the San Diego State Aztecs Saturday evening at Peterson Gym. This match will be the eighth of 11 that the Rebels will have played away from Las Vegas and the Cox Pavilion. Thus far, the Scarlet & Gray is 7-3.
 
REBELS BACK HOME: UNLV returns home in next week to kick off a four-match homestand in Mountain West play against the likes of Wyoming (Oct. 18: 6:00 pm), Colorado State (Oct. 20: 2:00 pm), New Mexico (Oct. 23: 6:00 pm) and Air Force (Oct. 25: 6:00 pm).
 
PURCHASE TICKETS:  Single-game ticket prices this season are $8 for adults, $6 for faculty/staff and seniors, although a special internet price of $5 is available for all tickets bought online at UNLVTickets.com, good up to three hours before the match. All high school, middle school and elementary students are now free under UNLV's new admission policy. To receive free admission, high school students must present valid Nevada area school I.D. at the box office on gameday to receive one (1) complimentary ticket. All other students will receive a complimentary ticket at the box office (no I.D. required). Kids not yet elementary school age will continue to receive free admission for all UNLV Olympic sports.