Box Score EL PASO, Texas – UTEP volleyball opened the Sun City Classic in front of a sellout crowd at Club Memorial but came up short against nationally ranked No. 24 UCLA, falling in straight sets (25-18, 25-20, 25-20) on Thursday night.
UTEP drops to 6-1 on the season while UCLA improves to 2-3.
MATCH SUMMARY
Despite stretches of inspired play and a strong home crowd, UTEP was unable to overcome No. 24 UCLA in its home opener, dropping the match 3-0. The Miners pushed the Bruins in the second and third frames, holding late leads before UCLA's steadiness carried them to 25-20 wins in both sets. UTEP's blocking and balanced offense helped keep the match competitive, but UCLA's execution in key stretches proved the difference in the 25-18, 25-20, 25-20 result.
LEADERBOARD
SPLIT BOX
UCLA held the edge in kills (45-37), assists (37-33), aces (6-2), and digs (34-33), while UTEP out-blocked the Bruins (5-3). The Miners finished with a .244 hitting percentage compared to UCLA's .330 mark.
SET-BY-SET
ONE | The Miners battled point-for-point with UCLA in the opening frame, trading early kills and capitalizing on Bruin errors to keep the score tight through 15-all at the media timeout. UTEP's front line made an impact with key blocks and kills to grab a 15-14 edge, but UCLA responded with a scoring surge. Despite a late push from the Miners, the Bruins closed the set on a 11-3 run to take the opener, 25-18.
TWO | UTEP came out aggressive in the second set, forcing UCLA into errors and stringing together a series of kills to build a 15-13 advantage at the media break. The Miners showcased balance at the net, but the Bruins regrouped and flipped the momentum with a 5-0 stretch. UTEP tried to claw back late, but UCLA held firm and sealed the frame, 25-20, to extend its lead to 2-0.
THREE | The third set began with UCLA jumping out to a commanding 7-1 lead, but the Miners refused to fold. A spark off a block and consecutive Bruin miscues helped UTEP erase the deficit and tie the score at 7-all, later pushing ahead 11-10 after a sequence of strong swings and defensive stops. The teams continued to trade points deep into the frame, but UCLA used another decisive run down the stretch to take the set, 25-20, and secure the sweep.
FROM COACH WALLIS
Head coach Ben Wallis credited UCLA's experience and execution as the difference in the match, noting that the Bruins' serving game kept the Miners from finding their rhythm. "They've got players who have been in national championship matches, and they weren't really affected by our crowd the way we were," Wallis said. "We love the support from the city and appreciate a packed Club Memorial, but nerves affected us tonight, and that can't happen with a veteran team. UCLA served very clean and pinpoint, and they pressured areas of the court we haven't seen yet this year. That took us out of our offensive system and limited our ability to stay physical. I was proud of how we responded in the third after falling behind 7-1, but UCLA finished sets stronger, and that's something we've been doing well all season until tonight. We'll learn from it, regroup quickly, and be ready to play our style of volleyball tomorrow against Texas Southern."
UP NEXT
Day two of the Sun City Classic continues on Friday, Sept. 12, with UTEP facing Texas Southern at 2:30 p.m. before No. 24 UCLA takes on Oral Roberts at 4 p.m. Only the UTEP-Texas Southern match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Join the 915 Campaign
UTEP Athletics has launched the "915 Campaign" with a goal of signing up 915 members by September 15. Fans can support the Miners by contributing as little as $9.15 per month to UTEP's Talent Acquisition Fund (TAF), which directly impacts the success of UTEP student-athletes.
To join the "915 Campaign" and become a difference maker for UTEP Athletics, please click here.
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.
