LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – It took a little longer than planned, but the UNLV volleyball team finally returned to the court Thursday night in a dominating performance against the San Diego State Aztecs. The Rebels, who last saw action on Dec. 6, 2019, started a little slow, but warmed up en route to a sweep of their Mountain West foe by set scores of 25-22, 25-21, 25-10 at the Cox Pavilion.
 
The Scarlet & Gray outhit SDSU by 163 points (.310 to .147) with help from 14 more kills (44-30) and two fewer errors (13-15) and attack attempts (100-102). The Rebels also held advantages in assists (41-27), aces (6-2), digs (44-34) and total team blocks (8.0-6.0).
 
The Rebels progressively improved offensively set by set, beginning with a .200 hitting efficiency in the first and .265 and .484 averages subsequently in the second and third frames, with 14 kills in both sets one and two, and 16 in the third. Conversely, as UNLV's hitting figures improved, its miscues in each set diminished, going from seven to five to one.
 
SDSU, on the other hand, was held to a .147 hitting efficiency. The Aztecs registered 25 kills over the first two sets and hit .132 and .257, respectively; however, they were limited to only five kills against four errors in 29 attack attempts in the third for a 0.34 average.
 
Shelby Capllonch and Mariena Hayden paced the Rebels with 10 kills apiece, while the latter notched a double-double with the addition of 13 kills. Hayden added eight kills to go along with two aces.
 
Lauryn Burt and Arien Fafard split the setting duties, recording 22 and 15 assists, with the former chipping in eight digs and a pair of aces.
 
REBEL NOTES:
-Dating back to the 2019 campaign, UNLV has won 17 of its last 19 matches.
-UNLV has now won four of the last five in the series, and eight of the last 12 against SDSU.
-Capllonch has 16 career double-doubles after the addition of Thursday's feat.
 
UP NEXT: The Rebels and Aztecs conclude their two-match series Friday night at 6:30 pm at the Cox Pavilion.