LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – Senior outside hitter Mariena Hayden moved into second place in program history in career kills and the UNLV volleyball team notched its first win over a ranked team since 2016 as it defeated No. 25 Washington State 3-1 in the final match of the Rebel Challenge Saturday at Cox Pavilion.

Hayden's first kill of the match gave her 1,500 for her career, also making her only the second student-athlete in UNLV history to record that many kills. The last time UNLV defeated a ranked team in volleyball was in the 2016 NCAA Tournament vs. No. 22 Utah.

The Rebels (3-2) won the match over the Cougars (0-4) by scores of 25-22, 21-25, 25-19, 25-22.

"It was really fun to see the entire team come together as one," UNLV head coach Dawn Sullivan said. "Our energy was extremely high and we had some players really step up offensively in Mariena Hayden, Milica Tasic, Gabrielle Arretche-Ramos on the right side and Kate Brennan in the middle. We just had everybody firing and it was great to see."

Hayden recorded a match-high 18 kills, while senior outside hitter Tasic added10 and sophomore outside hitter/middle blocker Arretche-Ramos and senior middle blocker Brennan had nine apiece. Sophomore setter Arien Fafard had a team-high 24 assists with senior setter Lauryn Burt adding 20. Junior libero/defensive specialist Paris Oliveira had a match-high 16 digs and Tasic contributed 10 for a double-double.

The Rebels outhit Washington State .248 to .143, recording 57 kills to its 38. The match was back and forth throughout as there were 30 tie scores and 12 lead changes.

Magda Jehlarova led WSU with 11 kills, while Hannah Pukis had a match-high 30 assists.

ALL-TOURNAMENT: The Rebel Challenge All-Tournament Team consisted of: Purdue's Hayley Bush (MVP), Caitlyn Newton and Grace Cleveland, UNLV's Hayden and Brennan, and Washington State's Jehlarova and Pukis.

NEXT FOR THE REBELS: UNLV will head back out on the road next week, traveling to New York. The Rebels first play at Colgate on Wednesday, September 8, before competing at the Cornell Invitational Friday-Saturday, September 10-11 vs. Niagra, Cornell and Bucknell.

NEWS & NOTES:

• Hayden currently has 1,517 kills for her collegiate career.

• UNLV has now won 32 of its last 37 matches dating back to 2019.

• 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.