LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV volleyball team hits the road for the first time this season with a trek to the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains to face the Colorado State Rams twice in Fort Collins, Colorado. The Mountain West series gets underway Thursday evening at Moby Arena and concludes with a Saturday matinee.
First serve of the series is scheduled for 6:00 pm PT (7:00 pm MT) Thursday, while Saturday's contest is slated to start at 11:00 am PT (12:00 pm MT).
This week's showdown in The Centennial State pits the two conference squads that were picked to finish first and second, respectively, in the Spring 2021 MW Preseason Poll. The Rams recorded five first-place votes and topped out at 92 points, while the Rebels amassed four first-place votes and finished right behind with 90 points.
TUNE IN, WATCH & LISTEN
Fans can follow this week's series between the Rebels and Rams through the Mountain West Network's video stream, KCSU's radio stream, live stats and social media. Links to video, audio and statistics can be found online at UNLVRebels.com in the "schedule" section of the team's volleyball page as well as on the team's official social media accounts.
ON THE SIDELINES
Following the conclusion of the UNLV-CSU series, the Rebels will return home to Las Vegas and the Cox Pavilion to host the Boise State Broncos twice to conclude February's action. The Rebels and Broncos will play on Friday, Feb. 26 and Saturday, Feb. 27, with both matches slated to start at 6:30 pm.
LAST TIME OUT
UNLV waited 426 days in between matches; however, the squad that finished the 2019 campaign winners of 16 of its final 18 started off the Spring 2021 season maintaining its winning ways, defeating San Diego State twice - 3-0 and 3-1 - on Feb. 4-5, respectively.
The Scarlet & Gray started off slowly in both affairs against the Southern California outfit, but rebounded at various points early in each match en route to victory. The Rebels opened the series trailing in set one by six points, 9-3, before they rattled off 11 of the next 12 points to turn the momentum of not only the set, but the match - 25-22, 25-21, 25-10.
In the second contest, SDSU claimed the opening frame - 25-19 - only to see UNLV rally to win the following three sets - 25-18, 25-19, 25-15 - for the win.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
>Colorado State: The Rams enter the third week of the Spring 2021 season with a 3-1 overall record after splitting with Air Force (Feb. 5-6) at home and sweeping UNR (Feb. 12-13) on the road ... The Rams' 3-0 loss to Air Force in the finale of the series snapped a 53-match win streak that CSU had begun back in 1982 ... The Rams went 28-2 last year and claimed their third straight MW title - and 10th in the last 11 years ... The Rams return eight letterwinners, four of which - including the libero - were starters, to the Spring 2021 squad ... The Rams welcome seven newcomers into the fold, all of whom are freshmen ... The Rams had three of their own named to the Spring 2021 MW Preseason All-MW Team: Alexa Roumeliotis, Ciera Zimmerman and Breana Runnels, who was tabbed the Preseason Player of the Year.
