FORT COLLINS, Colo. (UNLVRebels.com) – UNLV fifth-year senior Mariena Hayden recorded a match-high 15 kills, but the Rebel volleyball team (15-6, 6-4) fell in straight sets Saturday afternoon against Colorado State at Moby Arena.

The 3-0 decision was closer than that score indicates as the first and third sets both went beyond 25 points to decide (27-25, 25-21, 29-27). UNLV and CSU each recorded 46 kills and 40 digs, with the Rams holding the advantage in assists by two (45-43). In total, there were 36 ties and 15 lead changes throughout between the two schools near the top of the Mountain West standings.

UNLV freshman Chloe Thomas led the team in hitting percentage at .615 with eight kills and no errors. Hayden only had four errors to hit .324 and Senior Milica Tasic also contributed 11 kills. Sophomore Arien Fafard had a team-high 19 assists with senior Lauryn Burt recording a double-double with 17 assists and 10 digs. Senior Kate Brennan had a match-high four blocks with the Rebels leading in that category 9-6.

CSU (13-6, 9-1) was paced by Karina Leber's 11 kills, no errors and hitting percentage of .688. Annie Sullivan also had 11 kills for the Rams, while Kennedy Stanford contributed 10. Ciera Pritchard recorded a match-high 38 assists and Alexa Roumeliotis had a match-high 16 digs.

NEXT FOR THE REBELS: UNLV will return home next week to the Cox Pavilion for two matches: vs. Boise State on Thursday, October 28 at 6:30 p.m. and against Utah State on Saturday, October 30 at 1 p.m. The match against the Broncos will be Polynesian Night/International Student Night and vs. the Aggies will be a Halloween theme.

TICKETS: Tickets to all UNLV home contests may be purchased at UNLVtickets.com or by calling 702-739-FANS (3267).

NEWS & NOTES:

• This was the only meeting of the 2021 regular season between UNLV and CSU in volleyball.

• Hayden is No. 1 all-time at UNLV in career service aces (315; 199 ahead of second place) and kills (1,758). She has now moved into third in career digs with 1,287.

• UNLV concluded its Spring 2021 season with a record-breaking campaign that saw it 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 were 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.