EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP volleyball team (23-7) will host Weber State (22-9) in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship Quarterfinals at Memorial Gym on Tuesday (Dec. 7) at 7:30 p.m. MT. It marks the first time in UTEP history that the Miners have hosted postseason volleyball matches.
 
Arkansas (20-10) and UNLV (25-9) will join UTEP and Weber State in El Paso this week.  The Razorbacks and the Rebels will square off at 5 p.m. on Tuesday at Memorial Gym.


All matches will be streamed on CUSA.tv, with live stats available.

The winners will square off on a to-be-determined date and time later this week.
  
NIVC Quarterfinals
Arkansas vs. UNLV – 5 p.m. MT
UTEP vs. Weber State – 7:30 p.m. MT
Fans can visit www.UTEPMiners.com/Tickets to purchase tickets.


Hitting with Consistency
UTEP has hit .300 or better 13 times total on the season, including five matches higher than .350. The opposition has only topped .300 three times in 30 contests on the campaign. Five Miners are swinging better than .250 on the year. Vittoria Price (.446) continues to lead the team among players with at least 100 kills.
 
Block Party
The Miners registered a season-high 15 blocks in the 3-2 reverse-sweep win over FIU on Nov. 19. UTEP has posted at least 10 blocks in 12 matches this season. Vittoria Price (96), Alianza Darley (96) and Kenidy Howard (94) each have tallied at least 90 total blocks to lead the charge.
 
Miner Rankings
The Miners are in the top 50 in eight categories in the NCAA and are setting historic program numbers. The campaign is No. 15 in the country in offense and is the last standing Conference USA team in postseason play.
 
Top Categories
15. Team Kills (1,631)                                 1^st C-USA
15. Hitting Percentage (0.277)                  3^rd C-USA
18. Team Service Aces (207)                    1^st C-USA
25. Team Assists (1,475)                           1^st C-USA
27. Kills per Set (13.82)                              3^rd C-USA
31. Aces per Set (1.75)                               1^st C-USA
34. Match W-L Percentage (0.767)          2^nd C-USA
44. Team Total Blocks (271)                      1^st C-USA
 
Alyssa Sianez is ranked within the top 100 in the nation coming in at 83rd in total digs (474), and ranks first in C-USA.

Scouting Weber State
Weber State is 22-9 (13-3 Big Sky) on the year. The Wildcats defeated CSU Bakersfield and Portland State in four sets each in the first two rounds of the NIVC.
 
The program is led offensively by Rylin Adams with 343 kills and Ashlyn Power with 844 assists. On the defense, Makayla Sorensen paces the squad with 312 digs while Sam Schiess leads the team in blocks (88, 11 solo/77 assists).
 
The Series vs. Weber State
UTEP leads the all-time series with Weber State, 6-3. The Miners lost the most recent match against the Wildcats back in 2008. This will be the first meeting under head coach Ben Wallis.
   
Help support UTEP student-athletes by making a gift to the Miner Athletic Club. Visit givingto.utep.edu/mac today!
 
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.