LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV volleyball team won its third straight match with a 3-1 victory over New Mexico Saturday afternoon at Cox Pavilion.

Last year's Rebel team was recognized prior to the match with its 2020-21 Mountain West Championship banner unveiling. UNLV (12-3, 3-1) then went on to hand the Lobos (12-3, 3-1) their first MW loss of the season with the 25-18, 18-25, 25-20, 25-19 result.

UNLV has now won 10 of their last 11 matches. Fifth-year senior outside hitter Mariena Hayden again led the Rebels in kills with 15, while fellow seniors Kate Brennan and Milica Tasic each had 10. Brennan had just two hitting errors to lead the team and the match in hitting percentage at .471. Senior setter Lauryn Burt had a match-high 22 assists, and junior Paris Oliveira recorded a team-leading 12 digs.

New Mexico was led by Kaitlynn Biassou's 14 kills, Melissa Walden's 16 assists and Alena Moldan's 15 digs.

UNLV outhit the Lobos .258 to .145, leading in kills (55-39), assists (47-33) and digs (55-47).

NEXT FOR THE REBELS: UNLV will head back out on the road to play at San Diego State on Tuesday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m., before returning home to Cox Pavilion to host Fresno State on Saturday, Oct. 9 at 1 p.m.

NEWS & NOTES:

• UNLV has now won 41 of its last 47 matches dating back to 2019.

• Hayden is No. 1 all-time at UNLV in career service aces (302; 186 ahead of second place) and kills (1,646). She is No. 4 in career digs with 1,242.

• UNLV concluded its Spring 2021 season with a record-breaking campaign that saw the Rebels win the Mountain West title, going undefeated in regular-season play (12-0) and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The team finished the season 13-1 overall.

• UNLV returned nine letterwinners from last season including All-American and MW Player of the Year Mariena Hayden, and All-MW First Team performer Kate Brennan.

• Also returning to the squad are Gabrielle Arretche-Ramos, Lauryn Burt, Shelby Capllonch (honorable mention All-MW), Arien Fafard, Jordyn Freeman, Paola Garcia and Paris Oliveira. There are eight newcomers, which include six freshmen and a pair of international student-athletes.

• UNLV is led by fourth-year head coach Dawn Sullivan, who was honored following the Spring 2021 season with the MW's Coach of the Year award.

• For the first time in program history, the Rebels were predicted to finish atop the MW volleyball standings by the league's 11 head coaches as the preseason poll was released in August. Hayden was chosen as the Preseason Conference Player of the Year.