LAS CRUCES, N.M. – (RV) UTEP volleyball snapped New Mexico State's undefeated home and conference record Friday night at the Pan American Center, sweeping the Aggies 3-0 in the 97th edition of the Battle of I-10.
With the statement win, the Miners improve to 15-2 (5-0 Conference USA), while NMSU falls to 11-7 (4-1 CUSA).
MATCH SUMMARY
UTEP dominated the rivalry from the opening whistle, setting the tone with a 25-11 rout in the first set fueled by aggressive serving and consistent pressure at the net. The Miners regained control in the second frame after a tight start, pulling away late for a 25-20 win. NMSU attempted to rally in the third, but UTEP's service line once again took over—building separation en route to a 25-18 clincher.
LEADERBOARD
- Torrance Lovesee led the match with 12 kills—one of only two players in double figures—while hitting a blistering .526 (12-2-19), with both miscues coming late in the third set.
- Lovesee also served a match-high four aces, posted seven digs, and finished with a match-high 17 points.
- UTEP's offense was efficiently managed by setters Mattie Gantt (24 assists) and Alexis Massey (12 assists), who combined for 26 helpers to guide the team to a .400 hitting percentage.
- Lovesee and Kaya Weaver each recorded a solo block, while Washington and Luvina Oguntimehin added block assists.
SPLIT BOX
UTEP held the statistical edge in nearly every category, leading in kills (40-31), assists (37-28), aces (10-2), and digs (34-25), while NMSU held a slight 4-3 advantage in blocks. The Miners hit .400 as a team for the second time this season and held the Aggies to just .178.
SET-BY-SET
ONE | UTEP came out firing in the opening set, establishing control early with a string of NMSU attack errors and strong offensive swings. The Miners surged ahead 4-1 behind kills from Sara Pustahija and Landry Braziel, forcing an Aggie timeout. UTEP continued to pour it on with aces from Torrance Lovesee and dominant net play, building a double-digit lead at 21-10. Lovesee capped off a standout set with a solo block, and Luvina Oguntimehin sealed it with a kill as the Miners cruised to a commanding 25-11 victory.
TWO | The second set started more evenly, but UTEP maintained steady pressure while capitalizing on repeated NMSU service and attack errors. Key kills from Lovesee, Pustahija, and Danika Washington kept the Miners in front, and back-to-back aces by Lovesee pushed the advantage to 14-12. After the media timeout, UTEP found another gear—highlighted by a block from Braziel and Kaya Weaver and a dominant offensive stretch by Braziel. Despite late NMSU pushes, UTEP remained poised, closing the set 25-20 on a Pustahija kill to take a 2-0 match lead.
THREE | UTEP wasted no time asserting control in the third set, opening with an ace from Mattie Gantt and continuing to pressure NMSU with aggressive serving and terminal swings. Kills from Weaver, Braziel, and Lovesee fueled a 6-2 start, and the Aggies unraveled under repeated attack and service errors. After two quick timeouts by NMSU, UTEP extended the lead on an 8-1 run with aces from Alexis Massey and clean execution in transition. The Miners never looked back, closing out the sweep 25-18 with a Weaver kill to silence the Aggies.
UP NEXT
The 98th edition of the Battle of I-10 continues Saturday, October 11 at 4 p.m. MT in Las Cruces. The rivalry rematch will stream live on ESPN+.
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