FORT COLLINS, Colorado – The UTEP volleyball team advanced to 23-7 on the year defeating the Colorado State Rams on their home court, 3-1 (25-22, 12-25, 25-18, 25-19) Friday evening in round two of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship. Colorado State previously won 30 straight sets at home and was the Mountain West regular season champion, but lost to UNLV in the conference tournament.
 
Serena Patterson was the top scorer (15 points) for the Miners producing 11 kills, two service aces and three total blocks. Ryley Frye led the team with 23 assists and tallied 10 digs for a double-double while posting four service aces as well. Alyssa Sianez recorded 17 digs to lead the defense.
 
"I can't tell you how proud I am of this group," head coach Ben Wallis said. "This team just keeps punching and punching. We were so good defensively. They (CSU) out-aced up by one, but we stayed tough at the service line. We got punched in the mouth in the second set, but we came back in the third and fourth sets and just never stopped competing. We just kept pressuring them and got them off-balanced."
 
The Miners registered 13 total blocks and nine services aces while hitting .246.
 
SET ONE, UTEP 25-CSU 22
The set consisted of an intense exchange of points to start the match. After six tied scores, the Miners produced a 7-2 scoring run to take the lead. As UTEP reached set point, CSU came up with four points of their own to close in on the Miners. A kill by Paulina Perez Rosas ended the Rams' 30 straight set win streak at home.
 
SET TWO, CSU 25-UTEP 12
CSU came to play after losing the first set, posting up a 3-0 run to start the set. The Rams put up 21 points before the Miners could reach double-digits and would eventually win the set.
 
SET THREE, UTEP 25-CSU 18
Similar to the previous set, the Rams put up a 3-0 run, but UTEP answered with their own to keep them in the game. After nine tied scores, the Miners posted eight points, allowing only one to the Rams, to take the lead. Back-to-back errors from CSU secured UTEP's 2-1 advantage in the match.
 
SET FOUR, UTEP 25-CSU 19
Ryley Frye blasted back-to-back services aces to start the set. The most intense set yet consisted of six lead changes and nine tied scores. With CSU ahead by just one-point mid-set, UTEP posted five points to take a four-point lead, 19-15. The Rams attempted to rally, but were no match for UTEP's impressive offensive performance.
 
UP NEXT
UTEP will take on the winner of the Portland State vs. Weber State match-up in round three of the NIVC between Dec. 6-8. PSU and Weber St. will play Saturday (Dec. 4) at 2 p.m. MT.
 
 
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For complete coverage of UTEP Women's Volleyball, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @utepvb (Instagram) @UTEPVolleyball (Facebook) and @UTEP_VB (Twitter) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.