IRVINE, Calif. (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV volleyball team (2-2) suffered a 3-1 loss to the UC Irvine Anteaters (1-3) in the opening contest for both squads at the UCI/adidas Invitational at the Bren Events Center. The host Anteaters claimed the match behind set scores of 25-21, 18-25, 26-24, 25-19.
The Rebels were led by
Shelby Capllonch's third double-double of the season, which consisted of match highs in kills (18) and digs (17).
Alison French and
Thea Sweder added 12 and nine kills, respectively.
Antonette Rolda and
Lauryn Burt split the setting duties and dished out 29 and 16 assists, respectively, with six digs apiece. On the defensive side of the net,
Paris Oliveira and
Paola Garcia recorded double digits in digs with 14 and 10.
UNLV outhit UCI by 20 points (.254 to .234) and also held advantages in kills (55-44) and attack attempts (138-128); however, the former also committed six more errors (20-14) than the latter. The Rebels hit .219 or better and had a maximum of five errors in three of the sets, topping out at .481 (15-2-27) in the second. They misfired eight times in the third and only mustered a .158 hitting clip. The Anteaters, on the other hand, only committed three or fewer errors in three frames with a team-high six coming in the third. The hosts hit .321 and .333 in the first and second frames, but were limited to .222 or lower in the second half of the bout.
REBEL NOTES:
- UNLV is 1-1 this season against teams it faced in the 2018 National Invitational Volleyball Championship, with a 3-2 win over Portland last Saturday and Friday's loss to UCI. The Rebels will also face Fresno State – a second round opponent – twice later this season.
- UNLV is now 0-2 in true road matches, but sit 2-0 in neutral contests.
- Following Friday's match against UCI, UNLV has now had more kills, errors and attack attempts in three of four matches, but has gone 1-2 in those affairs. The Rebels won the only contest that they allowed more kills, errors and attempts.
- Capllonch and French combined to hit .358 with 30 kills against six errors and 67 attack attempts against UCI, while the rest of the team hit .154 (25-14-71)
- Capllonch has reached double figures in kills and registered nine or more digs in all four matches, thus far, in 2019. The reigning Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week has season highs of 22 kills and 20 digs.
- French has reached double figures in kills in three matches this season, topping out at 14 in the season opener at Weber State (Aug. 30) and hitting 12 against both CSUN (Aug. 30) and Friday vs. UCI.
- Since being inserted in the lineup against CSUN (Aug. 30), Oliveira has reached double digits in digs in three straight matches, with a season-high 24 in her collegiate debut (vs. CSUN).
UP NEXT: The Rebels will resume play at the UCI/adidas Invitational Saturday against the California Golden Bears (10:00 am) and North Carolina Tar Heels (4:00 pm). Both matches will be streamed live via BigWest.TV, and links for each can be found at UNLVRebels.com.
HOME OPENER: The Rebels return to Las Vegas and the Cox Pavilion with back-to-back home tournaments, beginning with the UNLV Invitational (Sept. 13-14) and bouts against Idaho, Texas Tech and Pacific. The Rebel Challenge (Sept. 19-21) will follow with matches against Arizona State (Sept. 19) and Kansas (Sept. 21).
