EL PASO, Texas – UTEP volleyball concluded its non-conference schedule Tuesday evening at Memorial Gym, battling Arizona in a hard-fought four-set match before falling, 3-1 (20-25, 25-27, 25-19, 24-26).
UTEP falls to 8-4 while Arizona improves to 5-6.
Arizona used a mid-set run to seize control of the opening frame. After the teams traded points early, the Wildcats turned a 12-8 lead into a 20-13 advantage behind a balanced attack. UTEP fought back with kills from
Landry Braziel, Oguntimehin and Davis to trim the deficit to 22-20, but Arizona closed the set with three final points to secure a 25-20 win.
The second set featured 12 ties and five lead changes as neither side could create separation. UTEP received key contributions from Davis, Oguntimehin and Voskuhl, who helped the Miners erase multiple deficits and eventually take a 25-24 lead. Arizona answered with three straight points, surviving the extended battle to claim a 27-25 victory and take a 2-0 match advantage.
UTEP responded emphatically in the third set. The Miners raced to a 5-1 lead and continued to build momentum behind strong defensive play and efficient attacking from Oguntimehin and Davis. UTEP stretched its advantage to 18-9 and never allowed Arizona back into contention, cruising to a 25-19 victory to extend the match. The Wildcats were held to a -.053 hitting percentage in the frame while the Miners recorded five team blocks.
The fourth set was another tightly contested affair. UTEP led 18-14 and later erased a late deficit to tie the score at 23-23 following a block by
Ema Uskokovic. Arizona responded with consecutive points to reach match point before Oguntimehin tied the score at 24-all. The Wildcats, however, finished the contest with the final two points to secure the 26-24 set victory and the match.
Davis finished with a match-high 18.5 points on 17 kills, while Oguntimehin hit .421 with 12 kills.
Kalia Kohler directed the offense with 34 assists, and
Lily-Rose Pichon contributed a team-best 22 digs. UTEP totaled 65 kills and a .247 hitting percentage, while Arizona recorded 54 kills and hit .214 for the match.
The Miners now turn their attention to Mountain West play, opening conference action with a two-match road series at Wyoming on Sept. 25-26 in Laramie, Wyoming. Both matches will be streamed live on MW+.
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