LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV volleyball team heads to the Mount Rushmore State this week for the first time in program history for the first and second rounds of the Women's National Invitational Volleyball Championship. The Rebels earned an at-large bid into the 32-team postseason tournament Sunday and will open play against the Kansas City Roos Thursday at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. The winner of the UNLV-KC affair advances to Friday's second-round contest to face the victor of Thursday night's first-round tilt between the Central Michigan Chippewas and host South Dakota Coyotes.
This will be the second consecutive year that the Scarlet & Gray has participated in the NIVC. The Rebels advanced to the 2018 semifinals, but lost in four sets to eventual champion Iowa State at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. In all, UNLV went 3-1 last year, defeating UC Irvine (3-0) and Fresno State (3-2) in Las Vegas at the Cox Pavilion before it traveled to the Pacific Northwest to defeat Portland, 3-1, in the third round.
NIVC SCHEDULE (SOUTH DAKOTA REGIONAL)
Thursday
2:30 pm PT UNLV vs. Kansas City
5:00 pm PT South Dakota vs. Central Michigan
Friday
12:00 pm PT UNLV/KC vs. USD/CMU Winners
TUNE IN, WATCH & LISTEN
Fans can follow this week's NIVC matches through 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.
MOUNTAIN WEST SENDS FOUR TO POSTSEASON PLAY
In addition to UNLV, the Boise State Broncos and Wyoming Cowgirls will represent the Mountain West in the NIVC; however, the Broncos and Cowgirls could face each other in the second round of tournament play Friday, seeing as both are playing in Laramie, Wyoming this week (Dec. 5-6).
The No. 10 Colorado State Rams, on the other hand, will travel to Seattle to face the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday. The Rams claimed the MW's automatic bid into NCAA postseason competition with their perfect 18-0 mark in league play.
NIVC NOTES
>The combined winning percentage of the South Dakota Regional is .730 (84-31), which is the highest of any of the eight regionals in the NIVC. The Colgate Regional is the second highest at .684 (80-37), while Wyoming's is third at .680 (83-39).
>The South Dakota Regional is only one of three where all four teams have won 17 or more games, joining the Colgate and Wyoming regionals.
>UNLV is the only program of the four playing in South Dakota to enter this week's action on a winning note. Central Michigan (Mid-American Conference), Kansas City (Western Athletic Conference) and South Dakota (Summit League) all suffered losses in the semifinals of their respective conference tournaments.
>Only two teams of the four in South Dakota have played each other this year, with South Dakota defeating Kansas City, 3-0, at the KC Roos Klassic on Sept. 6.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
>Kansas City: The Roos concluded the regular season with a 17-11 overall record and finished third in the Western Athletic Conference behind a 12-4 mark ... The Roos lost their last outing in four sets to Grand Canyon in the semifinals of the WAC Tournament ... The Roos have lost two of their last three matches; however, they had won five straight and seven of eight prior to this current stretch ... Delving deeper, the Roos began the year 2-6 before it ended the year on a 15-5 run ... The Roos are led by All-WAC First Team selection Alicia Harrington as well as Setter of the Year and Second Team honoree Alli Schomers, and Second Teamers Ty Lukes and Melanie Brecka.
>Central Michigan: The Chippewas concluded the regular season with a 21-8 overall record and finished third in the Mid-American Conference behind a 11-5 mark ... The Chippewas lost their last outing in four sets to Bowling Green in the semifinals of the MAC Tournament ... The Chippewas have lost four of their last five ... The Chippewas began the year 17-2 overall, but went 4-6 down the stretch ... The Chippewas are led by All-MAC First Team selections Lisbeth Rosario-Martinez and Kalina Smith, and All-MAC Coach of the Year Mike Gawlik.
>South Dakota: The Coyotes concluded the regular season with a staggering 27-2 overall record and finished first in the Summit League behind a perfect 16-0 mark ... The Coyotes lost their last outing 3-1 to Omaha in the semifinals of the Summit League Tournament ... The four-set loss was only the second suffered by the Coyotes this season, after it was swept by Iowa State (Sept. 3) in the third contest of the season ... The Coyotes rattled off a 24-match win streak following the loss to ISU ... The Coyotes claimed the Summit League's Defensive Player of the Year (Anne Rasmussen), Setter of the Year (Madison Jurgens), Freshman of the Year (Elizabeth Juhnke) and Coach of the Year (Leanne Williamson) Awards ... Juhnke, Jurgens, Rasumussen and Sami Slaughter were named All-Summit League, while Madison Harms was Honorable Mention and Juhnke was All-Freshman.
