LAS VEGAS (UNLVrebels.com) – The UNLV volleyball team hosted their inner-state rival, UNR, on Thursday night, packing Cox Pavilion as the first of their two home rivalry games this weekend.
The Scarlet & Gray (9-5, 2-1 MW) overcame the Wolf Pack (8-7, 1-2) in a five-set thriller, the Rebels' fifth five-set win so far this season. UNLV held UNR under .010 attacking in two of the last three sets of the series, pushing them to a .148 overall attacking percentage in comparison to the Rebels' .180. rate. The Scarlet & Gray turned it on for the fifth and final set, hitting a match-high .400 to close the first installment of the Silver State Series, presented by American First Credit Union.
The defense totaled a season-high 18 blocks in the match, also recording season-high top marks in block assists (28) while also picking up four solo blocks.
Rheanna Deen-Jackson registered a pair of solo blocks and eight block assists, three other Rebels picking up six block assists in the match (
Gabrielle Arretche-Ramos,
Jada Ingram and
Chloe Thomas). Ingram joined her freshman teammate with two solo blocks of her own, picking up a career-high in both solos and assists.
Caleigh King tallied 22 digs in the match to lead all student-athletes, notching her second time in the last three matches of 20 or more digs.
Basia Latos followed up her Mountain West Freshman of the Week award with an impressive performance in the dig category, tallying a double-double with 11 kills and a career-high 12 digs.
Alondra Alarcon was next in line with eight digs for a team total of 65.
The offensive pressure from the Rebel lineup was led by
Chloe Thomas, the senior racking up 15 kills in the contest on a strong .306 hitting percentage. Two other members of the Scarlet & Gray finished the match in double-digit kills alongside Thomas and Latos, Alarcon totaling 12 and Arretche-Ramos finishing with 11.
Alarcon kept the Rebels threatening on the serve as well, the junior transfer picking up her first triple-ace match and second multiple-service ace performance of the season. Latos also found a pair of aces of her own, the Rebels earning seven points on the serve.
Arien Fafard dished out 22 set assists for UNLV in the contest on the set, Mikkelsen pushing 14 and King tying her season-high with nine for the third time in 2024.
UP NEXT
The Rebels will keep celebrating short as they prep for their next home match, facing off against Utah State on Saturday, Oct. 5. That 1 p.m. PT match will be the Rockin' Rebels night, the first 200 fans receiving a free limited-edition Rockin' Rebels t-shirt only available Saturday. Fans attending can also enjoy the 3-2-1 concessions deal on Saturday, featuring $3 hot dogs, $2 sodas and $1 popcorn.
Fans can also follow along on the team's social media accounts:
Twitter / X,
Instagram and
Facebook. News and updates on the Rebels will also be posted online at
UNLVrebels.com.
