TEMPE, Ariz. (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV volleyball team, which is receiving votes in the national rankings, recorded its seventh straight win with a 3-2 victory at Arizona State Saturday night at the Sparky Volleyball Invitational at Desert Financial Arena.

The Rebels (9-2) were one point away from recording a sweep of the Sun Devils, but a 5-0 run to end the third set cut UNLV's lead to 2-1. After ASU claimed the fourth set, UNLV won the deciding fifth. The Rebels earned the victory by scores of 25-21, 25-21, 24-26, 17-25, 15-11.

Three UNLV players recorded double-doubles. Fifth-year senior Mariena Hayden had a season-high 21 kills to lead the Rebels. She also added a season-high 10 digs and a match-high two service aces. Senior setter Lauryn Burt recorded a season-highs 29 assists and a career-high 16 digs, and junior outside hitter Shelby Capllonch had 13 kills and a season-high 20 digs.

UNLV also had season-high performances from junior libero/defensive specialist Paris Oliveira, sophomore setter Arien Fafard and senior outside hitter Milica Tasic. Oliveira had 20 digs, Fafard had 25 assists and Tasic had 12 kills with a match-high hitting percentage of .360.

Arizona State (7-4) was led by Iman Isanovic's 23 kills, Ella Snyder's 38 assists and Annika Larson's 30 digs. 

UNLV out-hit the Sun Devils .222 to .211 for the match, which had a total of 43 ties and 16 lead changes.

ALL-TOURNAMENT: Hayden earned Sparky Invitational MVP honors, while Burt and Oliveira were both selected to the all-tournament team.

NEXT FOR THE REBELS: UNLV will open Mountain West play next week at San Jose State and at UNR. The Rebels will face the Spartans on Thursday, September 23 at 6 p.m. and the Wolf Pack on Saturday, September 25 at 1 p.m. Livestream and live stats links will be available at the UNLV volleyball schedule page on UNLVRebels.com.

NEWS & NOTES:

• With the win, UNLV improved to 2-0 this season against Pac-12 teams as it defeated then-No. 25 Washington State earlier this season at home for its first win over a ranked team in five years.

• UNLV has now won 38 of its last 43 matches dating back to 2019.

• Hayden is No. 2 all-time at UNLV in career kills and currently has 1,598 for her collegiate career, just three shy of the Rebel record. She is No. 5 in career digs with 1,211 and is No. 1 in service aces with 290 (174 ahead of second place).

• UNLV concluded its Spring 2021 season with a record-breaking campaign that saw the Rebels win the Mountain West title, going undefeated in regular-season play (12-0) and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The team finished the season 13-1 overall.

• UNLV returned nine letterwinners from last season including All-American and MW Player of the Year Mariena Hayden, and All-MW First Team performer Kate Brennan.

• Also returning to the squad are Gabrielle Arretche-Ramos, Lauryn Burt, Shelby Capllonch (honorable mention All-MW), Arien Fafard, Jordyn Freeman, Paola Garcia and Paris Oliveira. There are eight newcomers, which include six freshmen and a pair of international student-athletes.

• UNLV is led by fourth-year head coach Dawn Sullivan, who was honored following the Spring 2021 season with the MW's Coach of the Year award.

• For the first time in program history, the Rebels were predicted to finish atop the MW volleyball standings by the league's 11 head coaches as the preseason poll was released last month. Hayden was chosen as the Preseason Conference Player of the Year.