Rebels Secure NIVC Championship Title With Sweep Over Valparaiso

Box Score

UNLV UNLV 28-9,12-6 Mountain West

Valparaiso VALPO 26-10,12-6 MVC

UNLV UNLV

28-9,12-6 Mountain West

Final

Dec. 12, 2021

Valparaiso VALPO

26-10,12-6 MVC

Set Scores
Team	1	2	3	F
UNLV UNLV	25	25	25	(3)
Valparaiso VALPO	18	19	18	(0)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | 12/12/2021 8:19:00 PM

For the first time in program history, the UNLV Volleyball team earned the NIVC Championship title

VALPARAISO, Ind. (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV volleyball team (28-9) became the NIVC Champions after a three set sweep over the Valparaiso Beacons Sunday evening, during the final round of the 2021 National Invitational Volleyball Championship. The Rebels secured the title with a three set sweep over the Beacons (25-18, 25-19, 25-18) at the Athletics-Recreation Center (ARC) on the campus of Valparaiso University.

With the win, the Scarlet & Gray became the first team in program history to secure a postseason championship title.

UNLV was led by sophomore setter Arien Fafard's match-high 22 assists, junior outside hitter Shelby Capllonch's match-high 15 digs and fifth-year senior outside hitter Mariena Hayden's match-high 12 kills. Senior setter Lauryn Burt tacked on 12 assists for the Rebels, senior middle blocker Kate Brennan added two assists and 10 points, senior outside hitter Milica Tasic recorded 13 digs and five kills, followed by sophomore Jordyn Freeman who tallied a match-high three blocks and 8.5 points for the Rebels.

Valparaiso was led by Peyton McCarthy's nine kills and 11.5 points, Rylee Cookerly's 10 digs and Victoria Bulmahn's 12 assists and 11 digs.

The Rebels outhit the Beacons .292 to .106 for the match and out blocked them 11 to six. UNLV recorded 57 digs to Valpo's 42 and earned 44 kills to Valpo's 32. The match had 23 tie scores and 12 lead changes throughout.

Sunday's match was the second contest between UNLV and Valparaiso, the first was back in 2009 at Las Vegas. UNLV still owns the record, now 2-0.

MOUNTAIN WEST IN THE POSTSEASON: Boise State was knocked out in the first round of the NCAA Tournament after falling in a three-set sweep to No. 11-seed BYU (25-6, 25-19, 25-10). Colorado State fell in the second round of the NIVC to UTEP in four sets (25-22, 12-25, 25-18, 25-19). The Rebels are the only Mountain West team to make it to the championship round of postseason play, and win.

OTHER NEWS & NOTES:

UNLV's 28 victories in 2021 mark the best single-season record in program history.
The 2021 NIVC Championship title is the first postseason championship title earned in program history.
After Sunday's three set match, Lauryn Burt and Arien Fafard are still tied for first in the program's single-season record book for sets played, with each sitting at 139. Kate Brennan sits in second with 138 sets played, Chloe Thomas sits third overall with 136 sets for the season, Shelby Capllonch has the fourth spot with 134, Jordyn Freeman has fifth (133) and Mariena Hayden is now sixth with 130 sets for the season.
Kate Brennan earned a spot at the top of the program's record book for season-high hitting efficiency with .378.
Jordyn Freeman is now third in the program's single season record book for total blocks (165) and fifth for assisted blocks (141).
Brennan, Fafard, Freeman, Burt and Shelby Capllonch are now tied for fourth in the program's single season record book for matches played with 37 each.
Mariena Hayden knocked her second place 2019 program record for single-season service aces (70) to third with 83 service aces claiming second. Hayden also moved up to fifth in total attempts for a single-season with 1,247 and is now third for kills with 513 in the program's single-season record book.
Dating back to 2019, UNLV has gone 57-12 in its last 69 matches. The Rebels have won 28 of 36 this season and 26 of its last 32.
The Rebels will return the bulk of this year's squad next season except its four seniors Milica Tasic, Lauryn Burt, Kate Brennan and Mariena Hayden.
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.
Hayden was named Honorable Mention All-America by the AVCA following Spring 2021 after being selected to the organization's Pacific South All-Region Team. She also was UNLV's first league Player of the Year in volleyball.
Hayden entered this season as the NCAA's active leader in aces (269) and aces per set (.674). Additionally, she sat 12th in total attacks (3,897), 13th in kills (1,484) and 23rd in kills per set (3.72).