EDINBURG, Texas — The Miners rode into the UTRGV's fieldhouse Friday evening and ran the Vaqueros out of the corral, sweeping them 3-0 (25-15, 25-22, 25-12) on day two of the Southwest Showdown.
UTEP improves to 5-0 on the season while UTRGV drops to 1-4.
MATCH SUMMARY
UTEP set the tone early, using steady serving and a fast start to control the opening frame on the way to a 25-15 win. The second set proved more challenging, as UTRGV erased a mid-set lead to even the score late, but the Miners responded with key plays at the net to pull away for a 25-22 victory. In the third, UTEP closed the door with a dominant performance, jumping out to an early cushion and never looking back in a commanding 25-12 finish to secure the sweep.
LEADERBOARD
- Kaya Weaver led the way for UTEP with a match-high 12 kills and a .444 hitting percentage (12-4-18), also adding three service aces and 15 total points to fuel the Miner offense.
- Setting the pace at the net, Kalia Kohler (22) and Mattie Gantt (19) combined for 41 assists, directing the Miners to a team hitting percentage of .291.
- Danika Washington paced the squad in blocks (3).
- Defensively, Fuka Sekita anchored the back row with a match-high 17 digs.
SPLIT BOX
UTEP held the all-around statistical advantage in kills (44-23), assists (43-23), service aces (7-0), digs (49-37), and blocks (4-3). UTEP registered a .291 hitting percentage and held UTRGV to a .088 H%.
NOTABLES
- UTEP improves to 20-1 in the all-time series vs. UTRGV, holding a 59-8 edge in sets.
- Including today's win, UTEP has started a season 5-0 for the seventh time in program history, with the most recent occurrence coming in 2021.
SET-BY-SET
ONE | UTEP came out strong in the opening set against UTRGV, using a balanced attack and steady serving to build an early lead. Key kills from Torrance Lovesee, Weaver, and Washington, paired with multiple Vaquero errors, pushed the Miners ahead by as many as 10 points. UTEP's offense clicked late with kills from Luvina Oguntimehin and Landry Braziel before closing out the set, 25-15, to take a 1-0 match lead.
TWO | UTEP showed resilience in the second set, fending off a UTRGV rally to extend its lead. After building a four-point cushion with big blocks from Lovesee, Weaver, and Washington, the Miners saw the Vaqueros storm back to even the score at 18. From there, UTEP regrouped, responding with clutch kills from Sara Pustahija, Braziel, and Lovesee. Weaver took over late, tallying multiple kills down the stretch to seal the 25-22 comeback win and give the Miners a 2-0 advantage.
THREE | UTEP left no doubt in the third set, dominating from start to finish to close out the sweep. The Miners jumped ahead early thanks to steady serving and a balanced attack, highlighted by kills from Weaver, Braziel, Washington, and Oguntimehin. Weaver and Braziel combined to deliver the finishing blows, as UTEP rolled to a commanding 25-12 win to complete the 3-0 victory over UTRGV.
UP NEXT
UTEP will go up against Texas State to close out the Southwest Showdown on Saturday, Sept. 6, at 11am MDT.
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.
