LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV volleyball team opened the doors to its home schedule Friday night and gave the home crowd plenty to celebrate. The Rebels dominated from start to finish, sweeping Southeastern Louisiana, 25-19, 25-22, 25-16, at The Pavilion to open The Rebel Challenge and improve to 2-7 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED: UNLV produced its most efficient offensive performance of the season. The Rebels recorded 44 kills on 101 attacks while hitting a season-best .257 as a team, overwhelming Southeastern Louisiana's (3-9) defense throughout the three-set match. The Lions finished with 25 kills on 85 attacks and hit just .106. The victory also gave UNLV its second win of the season and marked the Rebels' first sweep of the campaign. After enduring three consecutive five-set matches at the Linda Murphy Ridge Invitational the previous weekend, UNLV needed only three sets Friday to dispatch Southeastern Louisiana.
Basia Latos led the way offensively with 13 kills, finishing on 30 attacks. The Lazy, Poland native also contributed two service aces, one solo block and four digs to finish with a team-high 16 points. Jaida Harris provided perhaps the most efficient offensive performance of the night. Harris recorded 12 kills on 22 attacks, committing just three errors for a .409 hitting percentage. She added two service aces and finished with 14 points.
The Rebels also received major contributions from the middle. Rheanna Deen-Jackson registered seven kills on 14 attacks while hitting an impressive .429, adding two block assists. Jada Ingram contributed four kills on eight swings for a .500 hitting percentage while also recording a solo block. The Scarlet & Gray committed just 18 attack errors and finished with 19 more kills than the Lions. Behind the attack, Kamryn Scroggins orchestrated the offense with 30 assists, accounting for the majority of UNLV's 35 assists. Scroggins also added four kills, two service aces, one block assist and two digs.
UNLV finished with eight service aces, twice Southeastern Louisiana's total of four. Latos, Harris and Scroggins each recorded two aces, while Arrie Brown and Caleigh King added one apiece. Defensively, King anchored the back row with 13 digs, finishing with the match's highest total. Brown added six digs, while Harris contributed five. UNLV finished with 34 digs compared with 30 for Southeastern Louisiana.
The Lions managed only 25 kills and hit .106 for the match, including just a .029 hitting percentage in the third set. UNLV, meanwhile, continued to attack efficiently, finishing above .200 in all three sets and hitting .294 in the final frame. Southeastern Louisiana was led by Kyra McKelvey, who finished with eight kills and hit .316. Claire King and Gracie Mann each added four kills for the Lions, while Brea Payne recorded 18 assists. Gracie Brown led Southeastern Louisiana with four blocks.
UP NEXT: The Scarlet & Gray will continue The Rebel Challenge on Saturday, September 19, facing off against UC Irvine in The Pavilion at 2 pm following a neutral match between Southeastern Louisiana and UC San Diego.
