FORT COLLINS, Colo. (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV volleyball team's 3-0 sweep (32-30, 25-17, 25-20) of the Colorado State Rams was historical in so many ways Thursday night. Not only did the win up the Rebels' overall record to 3-0 to start the Spring 2021 season, but it was only the second road win by the Scarlet & Gray over the Rams in program history and the second in straight sets, too.
The Rebels hit a staggering .362 in the contest and, more impressively, registered .319 or better efficiencies with a minimum of 16 kills in all three frames. The victorious squad from the Silver State opened the bout with its lowest hitting output - .319 – with 20 kills against five errors in a set-high 47 attack attempts. UNLV managed to collect 16 kills in both the second and third sets, while only committing five combined errors – three in the second and two in the third – in those two subsequent stanzas for .371 and .412 hitting efforts, respectively.
CSU, on the other hand, hit .209 overall, but sandwiched a paltry .098 effort in the second in between .278 and .273 first- and third-set averages. The Rams collected 13 kills in both the first and third with a total of seven errors, but only amassed 10 kills against six errors in the second.
In addition to the offensive hitting figures, UNLV owned advantages in every statistical figure, as well. The Rebels tallied 12 more assists (47-35), four more aces (6-2), six more digs (52-46) and 4.0 more total team blocks (5.0-1.0).
The Rebels were propelled on both sides of the net by double-doubles from
Shelby Capllonch,
Mariena Hayden and
Arien Fafard. Both Capllonch and Hayden achieved the double-double feat off a combination of kills and digs, as the former had a match-high 11 kills to go along with a team-high 12 digs to the latter's 10 kills and 10 digs. Fafard paired 22 assists with 10 digs for her first career double-double.
UNLV also got a combined 14 kills from its middle blockers,
Kate Brennan and
Macy Smith, as the pair hit .583 (7-0-12) and .545 (7-1-11), respectively. The duo was also responsible for 3.5 total team blocks, with Smith recording two solo putbacks alone.
On the right side,
Alison French contributed nine kills off .444 hitting and one dig.
TURNING POINT: CSU began the match with a six-point lead at 7-1 in the first set only to see it slowly slip away, as UNLV rattled off a 16-8 run to flip the script and push ahead by two at 17-15. From that point forward, neither team would own more than a one-point edge until the Rebels did so to close out the set at 32-30. In all there were six set-point opportunities in the opening frame, and it took UNLV's fourth try to end it, and carry that momentum into the second.
The first set featured five lead changes and 15 ties; however, the remainder of the match only mustered up three lead changes and five ties.
QUOTEABLE: "This team wants to finish strong and every time they step on the floor they want to give their best. I think this arena – Moby Arena – is hard to play in, for us. So, to step in here and compete the way we did; we hit .362, a great offensive night for us. That was really fun, once they settled down and found their own groove. When it came down to it, we were able to make some plays at the end (of the first set) and be able to take it. We played well that first set, we only had five hitting errors, we hit .319 that first set, so we hit really well. Winning that first set, sets the precedent, and I thought we got better as the match went on, which I thought was really fun. In the second set, we played even better and really found our rhythm and the third was even better; we hit .400 that third set." – head coach
Dawn Sullivan
REBEL NOTES:
-Dating back to the 2019 campaign, UNLV has won 19 of its last 21 matches – the best run through 21 matches in program history.
-Thursday's match was the 50th between UNLV and CSU, and the eighth that has gone in favor of the Rebels.
-With their double-doubles Thursday, Capllonch has three for the year and 18 for her career, while Hayden picked up her first in 2021 and 47th overall.
-With her first kill of the night, Hayden became only the fourth Rebel to amass 1,300 career kills. To date, she has 1,309 and is 41 shy of tying Leiana Oswald (2000-03) for third place.
-With her first two attack attempts of the night, Hayden became only the fourth Rebel to amass 3,500 career swings. To date, she has 3,524 and is 131 shy of tying Lauren Miramontes (2003-07) for third place.
UP NEXT: UNLV will face Colorado State, once again, at Moby Arena Saturday at 11:00 am PT (12:00 pm PT).
