LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV volleyball team continued its strong start to The Rebel Challenge on Saturday, overcoming UC Irvine in four sets to win its second consecutive match at The Pavilion.
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Rebels defeated the Anteaters 25-18, 16-25, 25-22, 25-19, improving to 3-7 on the season and handing UC Irvine its ninth loss in 11 matches. After opening the tournament with a sweep of Southeastern Louisiana on Friday, UNLV carried that momentum into Saturday's matchup and produced another strong offensive performance. The Rebels finished with 54 kills on 161 attacks and hit .199 as a team, while UC Irvine recorded 43 kills on 154 attempts and hit .130. UNLV also held advantages in assists (46-40) blocks (9-4) and digs, 70-67. UC Irvine's strongest statistical advantage came from the service line, where the Anteaters recorded nine aces compared with three for the Rebels.
Jaida Harris led the Rebels with a match-high 19 kills, hitting .288 on 52 attacks. Harris also contributed 12 digs and two block assists, finishing with a team-best 20 points. Basia Latos added 12 kills and four assists, while Logan Lindsay contributed seven kills while hitting an impressive .316. Latos also recorded a service ace and a block assist, finishing with 13.5 points. The Rebels received particularly efficient production from Rheanna Deen-Jackson, who recorded six kills on just 12 attacks while hitting a team-best .417 and chipped in a team-high three blocks.
Jada Ingram added five kills and two block assists, while setter Kamryn Scroggins contributed four kills of her own while directing the UNLV offense with 30 assists. Scroggins also delivered one of the strongest defensive performances of the match, finishing with a team-high 20 digs, her fourth double-double of the season. Caleigh King added 14 digs and six assists, while Arrie Brown recorded 10 digs and a service ace.
UC Irvine was led by Madison Triplett, who recorded 16 kills on 49 attacks while hitting .224. Brianna Brewer and Taylor Boice each added seven kills, while Nicole Feliciano contributed 24 assists and three service aces. Defensively, Whitney Wallace led all players with 25 digs, while Tatawan Vongfak added 11.
UNLV's .199 hitting percentage was nearly 70 points better than UC Irvine's .130 mark. The Rebels also committed one fewer attack error despite taking seven more swings, finishing with 22 errors compared with 23 for the Anteaters. The Scarlet & Gray was particularly effective late in the match, hitting .231 in the fourth set while UC Irvine managed only a .051 hitting percentage. The Rebels finished the match with 15 kills in the fourth set, allowing them to put the Anteaters away without needing a deciding fifth set.
UP NEXT: The Scarlet & Gray will close out The Rebel Challenge on Sunday, September 20, taking on UC San Diego in The Pavilion at 1 pm. The winner of the match will be named The Rebel Challenge champions, with both UNLV (2-0) and UC San Diego (1-0) undefeated in the tournament.
