EL PASO - UTEP volleyball (8-2) kicked off day one of the Southwest Showdown with a 3-1 victory over UTRGV on Friday night at Memorial Gym.
MATCH SUMMARY
UTEP secured a 3-1 victory over UTRGV by dominating the first two sets with strong kills from Danika Washington, Ema Uskokovic, and key aces from multiple players. Despite a slow start in the third set, UTEP's resilience wasn't enough to catch UTRGV, who claimed the set. However, the Miners bounced back in the fourth set with solid team defense and aggressive offense, sealing the match with a commanding 25-16 win.
LEADERBOARD
-
UTEP had a balanced offensive attack, with four Miners reaching double-digit kills. Ema Uskokovic led the way with 13 kills, hitting .303, while Danika Washington was highly efficient, also recording 13 kills and hitting .647. Torrance Lovesee added 11 kills at a .529 clip, and Kaya Weaver contributed 11 kills while hitting .600.
SPLIT BOX
UTEP held the all-around statistical advantage in kills (56-43), service aces (10-7), and blocks (10-1). UTEP posted a .384 hitting percentage and held UTRGV to just .189.
SET-BY-SET
ONE | UTEP got off to a strong start with a kill by Sara Pustahija, setting the tone early. The teams traded points, but the Miners soon built momentum, thanks to standout kills by Ema Uskokovic and Danika Washington, and crucial blocks by Washington and Torrance Lovesee. After the media timeout, UTEP capitalized on their lead, with Kaya Weaver and Lovesee's blocks, an ace by Ava Martindale, and additional kills from Uskokovic and Washington. An ace by Lovesee and a final kill by Washington sealed the set for UTEP, 25-20.
TWO | UTEP started evenly, with kills by Weaver and Washington alongside key blocks by Pustahija and Weaver. An ace by Martindale and back-to-back aces by Kalia Kohler gave UTEP an edge, forcing a UTRGV timeout. Following the break, the Miners stayed dominant, with strong contributions from Weaver, Lovesee, and Washington. After UTEP's own timeout, they regrouped and continued to pressure UTRGV. A final ace by Mattie Gantt clinched the set for UTEP, 25-20, giving them a 2-0 match lead.
THREE | UTEP faced a rough start in the third set, falling behind 0-5 before Uskokovic broke the streak with a kill. The Miners mounted a comeback with kills by Pustahija, Lauren Perry, and Uskokovic, along with an ace by Uskokovic to close the gap to 10-11. Despite their efforts, UTRGV pulled away again. UTEP stayed resilient with a late push, including kills by Weaver, Lovesee, and key blocks by Lovesee and Weaver. However, UTRGV held on to win the set 25-21, forcing a fourth set.
FOUR | UTEP came out firing with kills from Uskokovic, Washington, and Weaver. A well-timed ace by Gantt and solid blocking from Weaver helped UTEP extend the lead. UTRGV tried to rally, but UTEP maintained control, especially with a series of kills by Washington and Weaver. After a UTRGV timeout, UTEP finished strong, with a block by Pustahija securing the final point for a 25-16 set win, giving UTEP a 3-1 victory in the match.
"We couldn't find much rhythm in the first three sets, but we were still playing well enough to win, even though we weren't stopping anyone effectively," Coach Ben Wallis said. "UTRGV is a really good serving team, and they pressured us a lot, putting us on our heels offensively. Despite that, we stayed diligent and competitive in our serve receive. We got a little out of sorts, but in the fourth set, we turned it around and were very efficient. We blocked well and finally played the way we can at the net. If we stay locked in, we're going to be tough to beat. This is a good win for us, and we welcome the challenge of no longer being the hunter but being the hunted."
UP NEXT
UTEP takes on Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on day two of the Southwest showdown on Saturday, September 21, at 12pm MDT.
Give a gift to UTEP Women's Volleyball by donating to the Point Miners Club.
Stay up to date with UTEP Volleyball by subscribing to the team's newsletter here.
For complete coverage of UTEP Women's Volleyball, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @utepvb (Instagram) @UTEPVolleyball (Facebook) and @UTEPVB (X) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.
