LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV volleyball team stays at home this week to host the Fresno State Bulldogs and San Diego State Aztecs in Mountain West action in the Cox Pavilion. The Rebels and Bulldogs open the week Thursday night at 6:30 pm, while the Aztecs roll into Las Vegas for a Saturday afternoon tilt at 2:00 pm.
UNLV (12-9 overall, 8-2 MW) enters the week winners of eight straight following four consecutive successful weekends against conference foes. This stretch, which has propelled the Rebels into third place in the MW, began earlier this month in the Golden State with a pair of road wins over this week's opponents, SDSU and FS, and continued with triumphs over Utah State, Boise State, San Jose State, UNR, New Mexico and Air Force.
Both FS and SDSU travel to Las Vegas reeling after home losses to UNLV in early October. The Bulldogs (12-10, 5-5) sat 10-5 on the year prior to their bout with the Rebels, but have lost five of their last seven. The Aztecs (10-11, 3-7) were 8-5 when they faced UNLV; however, they have only won two of their last eight.
PROMOTIONAL ITEMS OF INTEREST
Oct. 31 vs. Fresno State: Halloween: Fans are invited to dress up for the match, with UNLV Volleyball hosting a trunk or treat in the lobby area of the Cox Pavilion. At intermission, all of those dressed up in their Halloween best will be allowed to participate in a costume parade across the court.
Nov. 2 vs. San Diego State: Luau Party: Fans are invited to attend a tailgate prior to the match, which will begin at 11:30 am and run until 1:30 pm. At intermission, there will be a hula competition, with the winner receiving a prize.
TUNE IN, WATCH & LISTEN: Fans can follow this week's Mountain West matches against Fresno State and San Diego State by various means: live stats, live video and social media. Links to stats and live video can be found online at UNLVRebels.com in the "schedule" section of the team's volleyball page as well as on the team's official social media channels.
ON DECK: UNLV will hit the road for four of its next six regular-season matches following the conclusion of Saturday's contest against San Diego State. The Rebels will travel to Boise, Idaho and Logan, Utah next week to face the Boise State Broncos (Thursday/6:00 pm PT) and Utah State Aggies (Saturday/12:00 pm PT), respectively.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
>Fresno State: The Bulldogs are 12-10 through nine weeks of play, going 1-1 last week in a pair of three-set matches at home in Mountain West play ... The Bulldogs began the year 10-5, but have gone 2-5 since their 3-2 loss to UNLV in Fresno on Oct. 5 ... The Bulldogs picked up wins over San Diego State (3-0 on Oct. 14) and Utah State (3-0 on Oct. 24), but have suffered three sweeps, one four-set loss and a five-set defeat to UNLV during this stretch ... Prior to hosting the Rebels, the Bulldogs had won five in a row - all in three sets ... The Bulldogs, who returned two starters, including their libero, and four letterwinners, were picked to finish sixth in the MW after posting a second-place finish with a 13-5 mark one year ago, and a 22-11 overall record.
>San Diego State: The Aztecs are 10-11 through nine weeks of play, going 1-1 last week in a pair of matches at home in Mountain West play ... The Aztecs, most recently, defeated Utah State in sweeping fashion last Saturday to snap a five-match losing skid and 1-7 run dating back to a 3-1 loss in Reno to UNR (Oct. 3) ... Following their four-set loss at home to UNLV (Oct. 3), the Aztecs have only beaten New Mexico (Oct. 5) and USU, with three three-set and two five-set losses ... The Aztecs, who returned four starters, including their libero, and 12 letterwinners, were picked to finish eighth in the MW after posting an eighth-place finish with an 8-10 mark one year ago, and a 10-21 overall record.
NATIONALLY SPEAKING: As of Oct. 27, UNLV ranks 150th or better in nine NCAA Division I statistical categories. Delving deeper, the Rebels are seventh in team service aces, 14th in aces per set, 26th in team kills and 29th in team assists. Moreover, the squad sits
IN THE 200 CLUB: As previously mentioned, UNLV's
Mariena Hayden has aced 199 career serves in just 80 matches and 312 sets of play, and is nearing a select club that only 25 individuals have become members of since the NCAA adopted the 25-point scoring format in 2008. With her next ace, Hayden will become the 26th NCAA DI history to record 200 career aces.
Coincidentally, sitting atop the list with 380 aces is Penn State's Micha Hancock (2011-14), who also owns the single-season mark with 126 aces during the 2014 campaign. Hayden concluded her sophomore season with 114, just 12 shy of tying Hancock's mark.
Hancock and USC's Samantha Bricio (2012-15) are the only ones with 300 or more, with the posting 301 in her career.
PURCHASE TICKETS: Tickets for the 2019 volleyball season are on sale now and can be purchased online at UNLVTickets.com. Fans can also get their tickets in person at the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office or by call 702-739-FANS (3267). Season tickets are only $50 for adults and $40 for seniors (62+), faculty and staff, and active alumni.
Tickets for individual matches are $8 for adults and $6 for seniors, faculty and staff. Additionally, fans that purchase tickets online up to 11:59 pm prior to match day can get them for an advanced single-match price of $5. Tickets for groups of 15 or more are only $4 apiece.
All high school, middle school and elementary students are free under UNLV's admission policy. To receive free admission, high school students must present a valid Nevada area school I.D. at the box office on match day to receive one (1) complimentary ticket. All other students will receive one complimentary ticket at the box office (no I.D. required). Kids not yet elementary age will continue to receive free admission for all UNLV Olympic sports.
