EL PASO, Texas (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV volleyball team (27-9) punched their ticket to the NIVC championship match after defeating the UTEP Miners in the semifinals Thursday night. The Miners took the first set (15-25), but the Rebels came back swinging to take the next three sets (25-21, 25-18, 25-17) and ultimately came out of the Memorial Gym on the campus of the University of Texas, El Paso, victorious.

With the win, the Scarlet & Gray advances to the NIVC championship match against the winner of Friday night's UConn and Valparaiso contest, which is being held in Valparaiso, Indiana. 

UNLV was led by senior setter Lauryn Burt's match-high 21 assists, fifth-year senior outside hitter Mariena Hayden's 14 kills and 16.5 points and junior outside hitter Shelby Capllonch with her 16 digs. Sophomore setter Ariena Fafard tacked on 15 assists for the Rebels, senior outside hitter Milica Tasic added seven kills and 10.5 points, followed by sophomore Jordyn Freeman who tallied a match-high three blocks.

UTEP was led by Serena Patterson's match-high 18 kills and 21 points, Alyssa Sianez's match-high 19 digs and Kristen Fritsche and Ryley Frye's 20 assists each.

The Rebels outhit the Miners .306 to .162 for the match and out blocked them 11 to two. However, UTEP tallied more kills and digs than UNLV with 51 kills to 47 and 47 digs to the Rebels' 45. The match had 18 total tie scores and seven lead changes throughout. The Miners took the first set (25-15), before falling to the Rebels for the next three sets.

Thursday's match was the fourth contest between UNLV and UTEP, but the first meeting in the 21st century. UTEP still owns the record, but the Rebels earned their first W against the Miners (1-3).

NEXT FOR THE REBELS: The Rebels advance to the championship match, with time and location still to be determined. This is the second time UNLV has reached the semifinals (2018), but the first time in program history they have advanced to the final round of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship.

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 still participating in postseason play.

OTHER NEWS & NOTES:

• UNLV's 27 victories in 2021 mark the best single-season record in program history.

• After Thursday's four 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 briefly sitting at 136 with the championship match on deck. Kate Brennan now sits in second with 135 sets played, Chloe Thomas sits third overall with 133 sets for the season, Shelby Capllonch has the fourth spot with 131, Jordyn Freeman has fifth (130) and Mariena Hayden is now sixth with 127 sets for the season.

• Kate Brennan earned a spot at the top of the program's record book for season-high hitting efficiency with .380.

• Jordyn Freeman is now fourth in the program's single season record book for total blocks (156) and fifth for assisted blocks (141).

• Brennan, Fafard, Freeman, Burt and Shelby Capllonch are now tied for fifth in the program's single season record book for matches played with 36 each, with the championship match on deck.

• 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 1,219 and is now third for kills with 501 in the program's single-season record book.

• Dating back to 2019, UNLV has gone 56-12 in its last 68 matches. The Rebels have won 27 of 36 this season and 25 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).