EL PASO, Texas – UTEP volleyball (4-3, 3-1 C-USA) squares off with North Texas (4-6, 1-3 C-USA) for its next two-match series Sunday and Monday at 12 p.m. in the North Texas Volleyball Center.
Both matches are available for streaming on C-USA.TV.
"North Texas has a proud tradition and have perennially been one of the top teams in the conference for many years," head coach
Ben Wallis said. "Knowing that, we're going to be walking into the hornets nest this weekend."
The Miners most recently defeated the Mean Green in five sets, 3-2, in their fall preseason on Oct. 3, 2020. In last season's single meeting, North Texas upended UTEP in four sets, 3-1, on Nov. 10, 2019.
North Texas leads the all-time series, 11-8, dating back to the first meeting in 1981. The Mean Green are 7-2 against the Miners in Denton, Texas. North Texas has won 10 of the last 12 meetings against UTEP, and North Texas Head Coach Andrew Palileo is 8-1 all-time against the Miners.
"What I know about my team is they're excited about their start but we're hungry to show the rest of C-USA that we're for real and to do that you have to beat good teams multiple weekends in a row, not just one weekend at home," Wallis said. "Things get harder from here on out with two of the top teams in the West so we're looking forward to the challenge and want to go prove our worth."
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE MINERS
UTEP swept UTSA in its season series on Monday, 3-1, and Tuesday, 3-0. The victories marked the
first time in over ten years the Miners have defeated the Roadrunners and the first series sweep over the rival.
WHERE THE MINERS RANK IN C-USA
UTEP ranks third in conference play in hitting percentage (.249), kills (198), blocks (35), aces (28), digs (218) and assists (176) with a minimum of 14 sets played.
Defensively, the Miners have allowed the third-lowest hitting percentage in the conference (.155).
Freshman outside hitter
Ava Palm leads the conference in service aces with 11. Redshirt sophomore middle blocker
Kenidy Howard ranks fifth in blocks with 17 (1.13 per set). Junior
Serena Patterson is tenth in C-USA in points per set with 3.83 (57.5 total).
SCOUTING THE MEAN GREEN
North Texas was picked to finish two spots ahead of UTEP in second place in the C-USA Preseason Poll on Jan. 14. In the Mean Green's last two matches, they were swept in three sets by Texas State on Feb. 22 and Baylor on Feb. 26. However, North Texas split its last C-USA series with UTSA.
"We're sitting in second place in the Western Division after sweeping UTSA so we're not going to take anyone by surprise anymore," Wallis said.
The Mean Green's outside hitter Rhett Robinson ranks fourth in the conference in kills per set with 3.82 (65 kills in 17 sets).
"This North Texas team has three-to-four really nice arms and athletes that can bother you if they pass it well," Wallis said. "Also, they're defending much better than they were in the beginning of the year and put 3 defensive specialists on the floor at times to make sure they defend hard in their 5-1. Their setter locates well to their best hitters and they have one of the nicest athletes and arms in the conference in Rhett Robinson."
For complete coverage of UTEP Women's Volleyball, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @utepvb (Instagram) and @UTEP_VB (Twitter) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.
