LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The Rebel volleyball team (3-5) went the distance twice Friday, but came out on the wrong end of both decisions, suffering a pair of heartbreaking, 3-2 losses to the Idaho Vandals and Texas Tech Red Raiders on the first day of the UNLV Invitational at the Cox Pavilion.
The Scarlet & Gray led both affairs 2-1, but were unable to secure the fourth or fifth sets in either match to notch its first home victory of the season after playing the past two weekends on the road at tournaments hosted by Weber State and UC Irvine.
Shelby Capllonch recorded her fifth and sixth double-doubles of the season in the twin bill, combining 17 kills with 18 digs in the Idaho affair, and following that performance with a season- and match-high 26 kills to go along with 16 digs against Texas Tech. For the day, she led the Rebels in kills (43), kills per set (4.30) and points (47.0), and was second in both digs (34) and digs per set (3.40).
The Rebels also got 37 kills on the day from
Thea Sweder, who hit .349 overall, after she posted 19 vs. Idaho and 18 more vs. Texas Tech.
Macy Smith added back-to-back, 11-kill outings Friday, with 4.0 total blocks in each contest, too.
IDAHO MATCH: The Vandals won the bout by set scores of 19-25, 25-20, 26-28, 25-18, 20-18. Idaho was outhit by 31 points (.234 to .265) and also had nine fewer kills (62-73) off 14 fewer attack attempts (175-189), but committed two fewer errors (21-23). After beginning the match hitting .000 with eight errors, the Big Sky squad limited its mistakes to a maximum of five (third set) and hit .227 or better the remainder of the match, including a team-best .326 in the fifth and final frame. UNLV, on the other hand, hit .275 or higher in four of the five sets, and only committed a total of five errors in the final two stanzas, while hitting .324 and .275.
UNLV held a plus-15 edge in assists (71-56) and tied Idaho in digs (77-all); however, the latter led in aces (7-5) and total team blocks (14.0-10.0).
The match featured 32 ties and 11 lead changes with the majority of both coming in the fifth and decisive set, with 11 of the former and four of the latter.
TEXAS TECH MATCH: The Red Raiders won the match by set scores of 21-25, 25-23, 23-25, 29-27, 15-11. UNLV outhit Texas Tech by 17 points (.279 to .262), and had seven more kills (74-67), but also four more errors (26-22) in the same amount of attack attempts (172-all). The Rebels at or above .314 in three sets, including a .400 tally in a hard-luck fourth. The Red Raiders began with .178 and .079 efforts in the first and second, respectively, but turned their hitting around in the third, beginning with a .310, and following with .447 and .364 showings.
UNLV owned a plus-8 advantage in assists (72-64) and aced three more serves (10-7), but had four fewer digs (65-69) and four fewer total team blocks (8.0-12.0).
The match featured 48 ties and 19 lead changes, with 20 of the former and 10 of the latter occurring in the fourth. Unfortunately, the Red Raiders staked itself to an early 1-0 lead and never relinquished it en route to the win.
REBEL NOTES:
- UNLV entered Friday a perfect 3-0 in five-set matches, but sit 3-2 following the losses to Idaho and Texas Tech.
- UNLV is 3-0 in five-set matches, but 0-3 in contests that don't go the distance: 0-2 in four sets and 0-1 in three sets.
- Following Friday's matches, UNLV has now had more kills, errors (tied once) and attack attempts (tied once) in seven of eight matches, but has gone 2-5 in those affairs. The Rebels won the only contest (Portland) that they allowed more kills, errors and attempts.
- Capllonch has reached double figures in kills and registered nine or more digs in seven matches, thus far, in 2019.
- Sweder has recorded 18 or kills in three straight matches, dating back to last Saturday's 3-2, come-from-behind win over North Carolina where she had a career- and season-high 24.
UNLV INVITATIONAL DAY ONE:
- Pacific went 2-0 Friday with a 3-1 win over Texas Tech and a 3-2 triumph over Idaho.
- Both Texas Tech and Idaho went 1-1, while UNLV went 0-2.
UP NEXT: The Rebels close out day two of the UNLV Invitational Saturday with a 2:00 pm match against the Pacific Tigers, following the conclusion of the Texas Tech-Idaho match at 11:30 am.
