VERMILLION, S.D. – UTEP Volleyball (6-1) delivered a commanding performance, sweeping Big 12 foe Iowa State in straight sets, 3-0, at the South Dakota Classic on Friday.
UTEP took control early in the first set and closed it out on a 6-1 run to win 25-17. After trailing in the second set, the Miners rallied with key plays from Kaya Weaver and Sara Pustahija to edge Iowa State 25-23. UTEP maintained their momentum in the final set, finishing with a 4-0 run to secure a 25-15 victory and complete the sweep.
LEADERBOARD
Sara Pustahija led UTEP's attack with 10 kills while hitting an impressive .391. Setting up the offense, Kalia Kohler and Mattie Gantt combined for 35 assists to lead UTEP's offense to 14.67 kills per set with a .337 hitting percentage. Defensively, Alyssa Sianez anchored the back row with 11 digs, while Ema Uskokovic and Kaya Weaver dominated at the net, recording 6 and 5 blocks, respectively.
THE STATS
UTEP held the all-round statistical advantage in kills (44-30), service aces (5-2), and blocks (10-5). UTEP posted a .337 hitting percentage and held ISU to just .087.
SET-BT-SET
ONE | UTEP jumped to an early lead with strong offensive plays by Kaya Weaver and Torrance Lovesee, paired with key blocks by Ema Uskokovic, putting them ahead 6-2. Lauren Perry contributed two crucial kills to extend UTEP's advantage to 10-6, but Iowa State responded with a 6-0 run to take a 12-10 lead. The Miners regrouped with a 4-0 run, highlighted by back-to-back aces from Lovesee, forcing an Iowa State timeout at 14-12. UTEP capitalized on three more ISU errors, closing the set on a commanding 6-1 run to win the opener, 25-17.
TWO | Iowa State controlled the pace at the start of the second set, racing to an 11-5 lead while limiting UTEP to just four kills. However, UTEP began to rally, with Kaya Weaver landing three kills to pull within 9-13. A kill by Sara Pustahija, combined with three straight Iowa State errors, cut UTEP's deficit to just one at 13-14. The Miners surged ahead with a 4-0 run to take a 19-18 lead. The teams traded points down the stretch, but Ema Uskokovic's pair of kills and a block sealed the set for UTEP, 25-23, lifting them to a 2-0 match lead.
THREE | UTEP played fast, physical volleyball in the final set, taking an 5-2 lead. Both teams exchanged points throughout the set, but UTEP maintained a comfortable four-point cushion at 14-10. The Miners then pulled ahead by seven at 20-13. Although Iowa State added two more points, UTEP finished strong with a 4-0 run, with Sara Pustahija delivering her 10th kill to win the set 25-15 and complete the sweep over the Cyclones.
"To dominate a match like that was huge," said UTEP Head Coach Ben Wallis. "We got down in the second set, and that sent a message—not only to our team but to Iowa State. We weren't making mistakes; ISU just made quality plays. But we got back to being nasty from the service line. Ava (Martindale) and Madison (Hill) were big today, making crucial runs for us. We were able to control ISU by pushing and pulling the pieces, and the way we attacked kept them on their heels. Iowa State is a strong Big 12 team with solid defense, so I'm proud of my group. It was a real team effort."
UP NEXT
UTEP takes on Montana State on day two of the South Dakota Classic on Saturday, September 14, at 1pm MDT.
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