LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV volleyball team stays home this week at the Cox Pavilion to host the Rebel Challenge. The Scarlet & Gray will welcome the Arizona State Sun Devils and Kansas Jayhawks to the Las Vegas Valley for the three-day tournament.
Each squad will play a total of two matches with UNLV's scheduled for Thursday (6:30 pm) against ASU, while the second will be Saturday (12:00 pm) versus KU. The Sun Devils and Jayhawks will square off in a neutral-site affair Friday afternoon (3:30 pm).
REBEL CHALLENGE SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
6:30 pm UNLV vs. Arizona State
Friday, SEPTEMBER 20
3:30 pm Arizona State vs. Kansas
Saturday, SEPTEMBER 21
12:00 pm UNLV vs. Kansas
TUNE IN, WATCH & LISTEN: Live stats as well as live video for all three matches of the Rebel Challenge can be found online at UNLVRebels.com in the "schedule" section of the volleyball page. Links will also be provided on the team's official social media pages.
ON THE SIDELINES: With the conclusion of Saturday's contest against Kansas, the UNLV volleyball team will turn its focus on the 18-match Mountain West schedule. The Rebels open MW play on the road next Thursday against the Wyoming Cowgirls in Laramie.
In fact, the Scarlet & Gray will play three of their first four away from the Cox Pavilion, with only a home tilt vs. Colorado State (Sept. 28) mixed in. UNLV will follow that opening stretch with six of eight at home, starting with Utah State (Oct. 10) and Boise State (Oct. 12).
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
>Arizona State: The Sun Devils are 6-3 through three weeks of play, going 2-1 last week - with a 3-0 win over Louisiana and a 3-1 triumph over Georgia Tech, but a five-set loss to Oklahoma fell between the two victories - at a tournament hosted by Oklahoma ... The Sun Devils began the year a perfect 3-0 following a trip to a Houston-hosted tourney, but has since gone 3-3 ... The Sun Devils, who return six starters and a total of nine letterwinners, were picked to finish 11th in the Pac-12 after posting an 11th-place finish with a 5-15 league mark one year ago, and a 14-18 overall record.
>Kansas: The Jayhawks are 4-4 through three weeks of play, going 1-2 last week - with a 3-0 win over Morehead State and 3-0 losses to Arizona and Syracuse - at their own Kansas Invitational ... The Jayhawks began the year a perfect 3-0 following a pair of road wins at Kansas City (3-2) and Omaha (3-0) and a tourney-opening victory over Albany (3-0) at the UCF Challenge ... The Jayhawks' undefeated run came to an end with a 3-1 loss to South Carolina and a 3-0 defeat to UCF ... The Jayhawks were picked to finish seventh in the Big 12 after posting a fifth-place finish with an 8-8 mark one year ago, and an 18-12 overall record.
OH, SHELBY, REALLY: UNLV's
Shelby Capllonch, who was named the Mountain West's Offensive Player of the Week following the first week of the season, has paced the Rebel offense through four weeks, leading the team offensively in kills (152), kills per set (3.80), points (169.0) and points per set (4.23). Additionally, she ranks first in digs (116) and digs per set (2.90).
With help from her production through 40 sets and nine matches of play, the freshman from Honolulu ranks 20th in the NCAA (as of Monday, Sept. 15) in both points and total kills. She is also 37th in total attacks (383), 93rd in kills per set and 114th in points per set.
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 can get them for an advanced single-match price of $5 up to 11:59 pm the day before the contest. 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.
