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UTEP Volleyball Set to Compete in the Heart of the Bayou

9/13/2023 9:00:00 AM

EL PASO – UTEP Volleyball (6-2) will travel to New Orleans, La., for its final non-conference weekend to participate in the Tulane Invitational Sep. 14-16 at the Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse. The Miners will open the weekend against host Tulane on Thursday, then take on Houston Christian on Friday, and close out their time in the bayou against their fourth Power 5 opponent this season, Clemson.  

UTEP_Pick_OrangeSCHEDULE     

Thursday, Sep. 14 
Match 9 at Tulane – 5:30 pm | Stream: ESPN+ | Live Stats 

Friday, Sep. 15 
Match 10 vs. Houston Christian – 2 pm | Live Stats 

Saturday, Sep. 16 
Match 11 vs. Clemson – 11 am | Live Stats 
^All Times Mountain  
 
"It's going to be a good, tough test for us," head coach Ben Wallis said. "We've got three different types of teams, Tulane, who are big, giant, physical, and veteran. And then the second match we go up against last year's SLC runner-up, Houston Christian who are super athletic and scrappy. And then lastly, we have Clemson on Saturday and they're big, long and athletic like we are." 

HITTING WITH CONSISTENCY   

UTEP is hitting .259 through eight matches paced by nine Miners who are killing it at or above the mark. Kaya Weaver (.433) leads the team among players with at least 30 kills. The UTEP offense sits at 49th in the nation in hitting percentage. 

BLOCK PARTY  

The Miners registered a season-high 18 blocks in the 3-1 win against San Francisco on Aug. 31. UTEP posted at least 10 blocks on six occasions – most recently against NC State. Kaya Weaver (40) leads the charge among players with at least 25 blocks. Nationally, UTEP is 29th in total blocks (86.0) and 37th in blocks per set (2.61). 

BALANCED ATTACK  

UTEP showed a balanced attack in the Bobcat Invitational last weekend, with three Miners blasting home at least 2.0 kills per set. Sara Pustahija (30 kills, 2.31/set) led the charge with Danika Washington (27, 2.25/set) and Torrance Lovesee (28 kills, 2.15/set) getting after it as well.  

IN THE CUSA SPOTLIGHT  

UTEP's Danika Washington and Kalia Kohler earned the league's third Player of the Week honors. 

  • Washington was tabbed Defensive Player of the Week after picking up 17 blocks at the Bobcat Invitational, averaging 1.42 blocks per set. Washington totaled 35.5 points that included 27 kills with a .489 hitting percentage and was named to the Bobcat Invitational All-Tournament Team.  

  • Kohler averaged 5.54 assists per set through 13 sets leading the Miners to wins over Ohio and William & Mary. In a 6-2 system, she registered 20 or more assists in each match while she helped the UTEP defense to a .241 hitting clip. Kohler also racked up four aces, two kills and 20 digs on the weekend. The freshman setter sits eighth in CUSA in assists per set (5.61) while totaling 185 on the season. 

UTEP_Pick_OrangeMINER RANKINGS      

In Conference USA, UTEP is ranked in the top three in five categories:  

 
2. Team Blocks (86.0, 29th NCAA) 

2. Match W-L Pct. (0.750, 68th NCAA) 

3. Blocks/Set (2.61, 37th NCAA) 

3. Hitting Pct. (0.259, 49th NCAA) 

3. Opp Hitting Pct. (0.193, 139th NCAA) 
 
UTEP has five players ranked in the top 10 in six categories in the conference:           

Statistic          

Player          

CUSA Rank 

Value          

Aces/Set 

(66.7% sets played) 

Sara Pustahija 

4 

0.45 

Blocks/Set 

(66.7% sets played) 

Kaya Weaver 

Danika Washington 

Alianza Darley 

2 

3 

7 

1.29 * 

1.21 * 

1.03 

Hitting Percentage 

(Averaged 3.33 attacks per set, 66.7% sets played) 

Danika Washington 

2 

0.425 ** 

Services Aces 

Sara Pustahija 

2 

15 * 

Total Blocks 

Kaya Weaver 

Alianza Darley 

6 

40 ** 

32 

Total Digs 

Alyssa Sianez 

4 

117 

** NCAA Top 50 
* NCAA Top 100 

UTEP_Pick_OrangeTHE OPPONENTS    

Tulane 

  • Tulane is entering the weekend at 4-5. The team is ranked top-10 nationally in two team statistics – Blocks/Set (No. 8, 3.00) and Total Blocks (No. 9, 93.0) 

  • The Green Wave is hitting .187 as a team, and four players have at least 50 kills. Avery Burks leads the way with 106 kills (3.42/set). Laura Fiabane directs the offense with 141 assists (7.05/set). Lauryn Burrows leads the team with 5.19 digs per set (161 digs). 

  • Sabrina Skyers leads the AAC in blocks per set (1.53) and total blocks (46.0). 

  • As a team, the Green Wave ranks first in the AAC for blocks per set (3.00), blocks (93.0), digs per set (17.29), team digs (536). 

  • In her second season, Head Coach Jordana Price sits at a 13-27 career record, as the 10th head coach of the Tulane Volleyball program. 

  • The Green Wave leads 14-3 in the all-time series against the Miners. 

Houston Christian 

  • HCU is entering the weekend at 4-5. The Huskies are ranked top-20 nationally in two team statistics – Team Digs (No. 15, 595) and Digs/Set (No. 18, 17.0). 

  • The HCU program is hitting .137 as a team, and three players have at least 60 kills. Cassidy Drapela leads the way with 91 kills (2.60/set). Grace McLaughlin directs the offense with 210 assists (8.08/set). Kaley Feris sets the tone defensively with 155 digs (4.43/set). 

  • Kaley Feris ranks leads the Southland Conference in total digs and digs per set. 

  • As a team, the Huskies lead the SLC in digs per set (17.00), digs (595), and total blocks (78.0). 

  • In his 12th season, Head Coach Trent Herman sits at a 192-149 record at the helm of the Huskies and a 236-182 overall career record. 

  • Friday will be the first meeting between the Miners and the Huskies. 

Clemson 

  • Clemson is entering the weekend at 6-3. The team is ranked top-40 nationally in two team statistics – Total Blocks (No. 37, 83.0) and blocks/Set (No. 39, 2.59). 

  • The Tigers are hitting .216 as a team, and four players have at least 50 kills. Kennedy Wagner easily leads the way with 91 kills (3.03/set). Mckenna Slavik directs the offense with 277 assists (8.66/set). Devan Taylor has racked up 136 digs (4.25/set) for the Tiger defense. 

  • As a team, Clemson ranks first in the ACC for total blocks (83.0). 

  • Adria Powell leads the ACC in blocks per set (1.61) and total blocks (50.0) while ranking sixth and seventh in the nation, respectively.  

  • In her third season, Head Coach Jackie Simpson Kirr sits at a 31-39 overall career record. 

  • Saturday will be the first meeting between the Miners and the Tigers. 

 
"We're a little banged up this weekend, but I'm hopeful that our player on our deep roster will be able to separate in and make some plays and help us get a couple of victories before we get on back home to El Paso and try to turn our attention towards conference play," Wallis said. 
 

Give a gift to UTEP Women's Volleyball by donating to the Point Miners Club.      

For complete coverage of UTEP Women's Volleyball, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @utepvb (Instagram) @UTEPVolleyball (Facebook) and @UTEPVB (Twitter) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com. 

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