Sept. 26, 2014
Final Stats
UTEP 2, UNT 3
El Paso, Texas- UTEP forced UNT into five sets as the Miners registered more kills, blocks, and digs than the Mean Green. However, UTEP’s persistent effort was not enough to keep the Orange and Blue from falling, 3-2 (25-22, 16-25, 25-20, 24-26, 16-14) to the Mean Green on Friday night.
Coline Coessens and Lindsey Larson, both recorded double-double performances as they paced UTEP’s offense and defense with a combined 53 assists, 29 digs, and 17 kills.
Jacqueline Cason and Krystal Ejesieme trail blazed along the net as they each powered out 15 kills. Middle Blocker Dominique Millette followed close behind with 14 kills and only two errors to boast a team high hitting percentage of .444.
Making her first appearance as libero for the Orange and Blue, Ashley Peak delivered a match-high 33 digs.
The Miners bolted out to 8-4 lead over the Mean Green to open the match. However, a relentless UNT would respond with a 5-1 run to take a one-point lead over UTEP at 11-10. The squads would continue to fight point for point as they tied the score eight more times.
With the score knotted at 22, three consecutive kills by UNT’s Carnea Dillard would give the first set to the Mean Green.
Still in the game, the Miners would fire into the second set with a 7-2 lead. Holding UNT to a .051 attack percentage and consistently putting up small runs, UTEP was able to extend its advantage to 19-14. A kill by Millette would spark a 4-0 run to put the Miners only two points away from a set win.
Consecutive kills hammered out by outside hitter Talia Jones would ultimately claim the set for UTEP, tying the match at one.
The Mean Green would open the third set with a 12-7 advantage over the Miners. UNT would maintain its advantage as it forced six UTEP errors to take the third stanza, 25-20.
Needing to win the fourth set to stay in the match, the Orange and Blue paced an 8-3 lead over UNT. Staying on UTEP’s toes, the Mean Green would capitalize off of three Miner errors to tie the set at 14.
Tensions high on the court, the teams would tie the score five more times only to end up knotted at 24. With everything on the line, the Miners would claim the set and a chance to win the match off of consecutive kills by Coessens and Jones.
Once again the squads went back and forth tying the score six times in the final set. Consecutive attack errors by UNT’s Dillard would tie the score at 14. With serving possession the Miners hoped to claim their first conference victory but a kill by Dillard followed by a UTEP attack error would ultimately give the hard fought match to the Mean Green.
UTEP will look to bounce back when it plays host to FAU at 12 p.m. (MT) on Sunday.
