LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV volleyball team started off slowly for the second straight match; however, the home squad came out victorious over the San Diego State Aztecs (0-2), once again, Friday at the Cox Pavilion. The Rebels fell behind 1-0 after the opening set, but rebounded by winning the second, third and fourth frames to claim a 3-1 decision (19-25, 25-18, 25-19, 25-15) to improve to 2-0 this season.
The Scarlet & Gray outhit the Aztecs by 54 points (.284 to .230), and amassed eight more kills (55-47) and one fewer error (15-16) in only six more attack attempts (141-135). The Rebels hit in the .200s over the first three stanzas of the contest - .242 in the first, .297 in the second and .229 in the third – before cranking out a .361 effort in the fourth and final set, with 16 kills against three errors in 36 swings. The Aztecs, on the other hand, topped out with a .452 (15-1-31) showing in the first, but were limited to .270 or lower averages the remainder of the match (.270, .111 and .097).
The Rebels were also dominant in assists (48-44), aces (12-1) and total team blocks (7.0-3.0), while the Aztecs led in digs (58-55).
Shelby Capllonch registered her second straight double-double off a combination of 10 kills and 12 digs.
Marina Hayden had match highs in both kills and aces with 15 and five, respectively. Hayden also added eight digs and one assisted block.
UNLV got a combined 13 kills from middle blockers
Macy Smith and
Kate Brennan, with the duo hitting .370 (13-3-27), and the former chipping in six total blocks (two solo).
Paris Oliveira tied for the match lead in digs with 18.
REBEL NOTES:
-Dating back to the 2019 campaign, UNLV has won 18 of its last 20 matches.
-UNLV has now won five of the last six in the head-to-head series, and nine of the last 13 against SDSU.
-Capllonch has 17 career double-doubles after the addition of Friday's
UP NEXT: UNLV will have next week off from competition and will return in Fort Collins, Colorado, against the Colorado State Rams on Feb. 18 and Feb. 20.
