EL PASO – UTEP Volleyball made history Tuesday night at Club Memorial, sweeping I-10 rival NMSU 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-21) for the first time since 2001. Fueled by the support of over 2,200 fans, the Miners delivered a commanding performance, extending their winning streak with a sixth consecutive sweep. 

UTEP improves to 15-2 (5-0 Conference USA) while NM State drops to 9-8 (3-2 CUSA). 

MATCH SUMMARY      
In the first set, both teams traded points early, but UTEP pulled ahead thanks to key kills from Sara Pustahija, Kaya Weaver, and Lauren Perry, ultimately securing a 25-22 victory. The Miners carried that momentum into the second set, quickly establishing a lead with strong blocking from Danika Washington and Torrance Lovesee and aggressive attacks from Ema Uskokovic and Pustahija. UTEP's defense and offense proved too much for NMSU, closing the set 25-19. In the final set, NMSU tried to rally, but UTEP stayed composed, using well-timed kills and blocks to edge out a 25-21 win and complete the sweep. 

LEADERBOARD         

• Ema Uskokovic led the offense with 10 kills while hitting an impressive .364.  
• The setting duo of Kalia Kohler and Mattie Gantt orchestrated the attack, combining for 34 assists, with Kohler contributing 18 and Gantt adding 16.  
• Torrance Lovesee was a standout at the service line, recording 3 aces and also leading the match with 13.0 points.  
• On defense, Alyssa Sianez anchored the back row with 9 digs. 
• Kaya Weaver and Danika Washington dominated at the net, each tallying 7 blocks to stifle NMSU's offense.

SPLIT BOX         
UTEP held the all-around statistical advantage in kills (44-28), service aces (5-2), and blocks (14-8). UTEP registered a .213 hitting percentage and held NM State to a .112 H%. 

RECORD BOOK NOTES 

• Kaya Weaver and Danika Washington each recorded 7 total blocks in the match, tying for 7th in program history for a three-set performance. 
• Washington's 7 block assists also tied her for 3rd place in the record books.
• As a team, UTEP's 14.0 total blocks tied for 4th all-time, while their 26 block assists ranked 2nd in program history.
• This impressive defensive effort helped the Miners improve to 5-0 in conference play, a feat they last achieved in 1996.

SET-BY-SET      
ONE | UTEP started strong with a kill by Sara Pustahija to take the opening point. After several exchanges of points, UTEP found momentum with key kills from Lovesee, Weaver, and Washington, pulling ahead 8-5. NMSU fought back to tie the score multiple times, but UTEP's Pustahija and Lauren Perry kept them in the lead with critical kills. The Miners capitalized on NMSU errors and strong blocking efforts from Weaver and Uskokovic to regain the lead late in the set. Despite pressure from NMSU, UTEP held strong, with Weaver' and Uskokovic's kills closing out the set 25-22, giving UTEP a 1-0 lead in the match.

TWO | The second set saw UTEP continue their dominant form, quickly jumping to a 3-1 lead with blocks by Pustahija and Washington. They extended their lead to 7-3 thanks to more blocks from Perry and Washington. The Miners' front line shined as Lovesee, Uskokovic, and Weaver combined for a series of kills, forcing NMSU into a timeout at 13-7. UTEP remained in control after the break, with Lovesee's back-to-back aces widening the gap. NMSU made a brief run, but UTEP's relentless offense and solid blocking sealed the set at 25-19, giving UTEP a commanding 2-0 advantage.

THREE | In the final set, NMSU started off strong, but UTEP quickly responded with kills by Lovesee and Weaver to tie the score at 4-4. A back-and-forth battle ensued, with both teams trading points until UTEP edged ahead with a series of NMSU errors and an ace by Sianez, making it 9-7. After a UTEP timeout at 9-12, the Miners regrouped, with Uskokovic and Lovesee delivering timely kills and Weaver continuing to dominate at the net with crucial blocks. The teams remained neck-and-neck until UTEP surged late in the set, with Perry's kills and Lovesee's ace clinching the set 25-21, completing the sweep and giving UTEP a 3-0 victory over NMSU. 

"Since I took over in 2019, every match against Mike (Jordan) is always a grind, no matter the scoreline," said head coach Ben Wallis. "I don't care if we win in three, four, or five sets—what matters is getting the win. But it means a lot to sweep them in three, especially because of how close those sets were. We executed cleanly in the first, got a little out of control in the second but still pushed them around, and then in the third, being down 18-15 and tying it at 18—that's high-level volleyball. Our pin players and middles stepped up big today, and that's what makes this team special. Tomorrow will be another battle; Mike has been my mentor my whole life, so I know they'll come with a complex plan. We've learned from last year's loss and will be emotionally prepared, but those first 15 points will be key." 

UP NEXT          
The Miners face the Aggies again on Wednesday, October 9, at 6pm MDT at Club Memorial.

 

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