RENO, Nev. (UNLVRebels.com) – Just two days after it clinched its first regular-season conference title, the UNLV volleyball team matched the best start in program history, tying the 2016 squad with its 11th straight win after Saturday's 3-0 sweep of the UNR Wolf Pack.
The Scarlet & Gray (11-0) defeated the Wolf Pack (3-11) behind set scores of 25-20, 25-18, 25-17 at the Virginia Street Gym. With the win, UNLV has claimed five in a row and six of the last seven matches over UNR in a series that dates back to 1979 and is led 26-10 by the Rebels.
UNLV out hit UNR by 173 points (.303 to .130) with help from 10 more kills (41-31) and four fewer errors (14-18) in 11 fewer attack attempts (89-100). The Rebels hit .360 (13-4-25) and .344 (14-3-32) in the first and third frames, but .219 in the second, recording as many errors – seven – as it had in the aforementioned frames. The Wolf Pack, on the other hand, opened the contest with its best effort – .250 in the first, but could only muster a .061 and .103 in the second and third, respectively.
The Rebels also led in assists (36-30), aces (5-2), digs (44-27) and total team blocks (6.0-4.0).
Nine different Rebels had at least two kills in the match, while five of those threw down five or more.
Mariena Hayden led the squad with nine kills.
Shelby Capllonch added seven, while
Macy Smith had six off a team-high .444 hitting effort.
Kate Brennan and
Alison French had five apiece.
Setters
Lauryn Burt and
Arien Fafard matched each other stat for stat, as each had 16 assists, two kills, one ace and three digs.
NOTES:
-Dating back to the 2019 campaign, UNLV has now won 27 of its last 29 matches – the best run through 29 matches in program history.
-UNLV will be making its third trip to the NCAA Tournament, having previously participated in the 2007 and 2016 postseasons.
-Spring 2021 will mark three straight years of postseason participation, as UNLV played in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship in 2018 and 2019.
SILVER STATE SERIES: With Saturday's win, UNLV secured the three points allotted for the sport in the Silver State Series presented by IBEW and Nevada Donor Network. Additionally, the Rebel women's tennis team defeated UNR, as well, Saturday for another three points. To date, the all-encompassing athletic and academic competition between the Rebels and Wolf Pack is tied at 10.5-10.5.
UP NEXT: The Rebels return to Las Vegas and the Cox Pavilion to close out the Spring 2021 regular season with visits from the Wyoming Cowgirls and Air Force Falcons. UNLV begins the homestand against Wyoming Thursday night (6:30 pm) and concludes it with a Saturday matinee (1:00 pm) versus Air Force – a day that has been designated as "Senior Day," with the volleyball program recognizing its six-member senior class.
