Box Score CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – UTEP volleyball are once again Southwest Showdown champions. The Miners captured the tournament title for the third consecutive year and remained perfect in the event's all-time series at 9-0, defeating UTRGV, 3-2, Saturday morning at Dugan Wellness Center. With the victory, UTEP improves to 4-1 on the season, while the Vaqueros fall to 1-3.
Hannah Crowe and
Lauren Perry were named to the Southwest Showdown All-Tournament Team following the conclusion of the tournament.
LEADERBOARD
- Davis led UTEP with 16 kills while hitting an impressive .615 and added 19.0 points.
- Perry finished with 10 kills on a .313 hitting percentage and added a match-high four service aces.
- Kohler recorded 27 assists, while Bella Widmer contributed 10 digs.
- Oguntimehin finished with five total blocks.
SPLITBOX
The Miners finished with 55 kills, eight service aces and 13 total blocks while limiting UTRGV to a .182 hitting percentage. UTEP hit .206 for the match.
SET-BY-SET
ONE | The Vaqueros opened the match by jumping out to a 3-0 lead before the Miners answered with a 6-0 run, to go up 9-6. UTRGV regained momentum late in the set and pulled away to take the opening frame, 25-21. Davis led the Miners with six kills in the set, while UTEP registered five blocks.
TWO | UTEP responded in the second set, battling back from an 11-9 deficit and eventually taking control late. The Miners used three consecutive UTRGV errors to help erase a 19-16 deficit before Oguntimehin's solo block to come within one, 19-18. After the Vaqueros regained a 21-20 lead, UTEP closed the frame on a 5-1 run, capped by a Davis kill and blocks from
Hannah Crowe and
Landry Braziel, to win 25-23 and even the match at 1-1.
THREE | The Miners carried their momentum into the third set, turning a 14-11 deficit into a 25-21 victory. Perry sparked the comeback with three consecutive kills after a 6-0 UTEP run that gave the Miners a 21-17 advantage. UTEP continued to control the set behind another kill from Davis and a block from Oguntimehin and
Laila Amos before Oguntimehin finished the frame with her fifth kill of the set, giving UTEP a 2-1 match lead.
FOUR | UTRGV answered in the fourth, racing to an 11-4 advantage before UTEP began to chip away. The Miners used serveal kills and aces to pull within 13-12. UTEP eventually took a 16-15 lead, but the Vaqueros responded with a late push and secured the set, 25-20, forcing a deciding fifth frame.
FIVE | The Miners left no doubt in the final set. UTEP built a 5-2 advantage but the Vaqueros briefly tied the set at 6-6. UTEP answered with a 9-3 run to close the match. Uskokovic opened the decisive surge with back-to-back kills, followed by a Perry kill, a Crowe kill and a Crowe ace. UTRGV committed consecutive errors to give the Miners match point before UTEP closed out the championship, 15-9.
"I really enjoyed coaching this group this weekend," head coach Ben Wallissaid. "It was hard, and we got tested against all three teams. We found three different ways to win, and in each match, we had to change the pieces and the tactics to get there. But we needed everybody to do it. We had some special performances this weekend from a few of our players, but what I love most about this team is that everybody we brought on this road trip was able to contribute to winning. We've got a very deep and talented team, even though they're inexperienced and dorky at times. At this point in the season, we're still finding ways to give easy points to the other team, but most importantly, we're finding ways to win, which is all I can ask of them right now. We ran into a really, really good UTRGV team today, and I would be shocked if they don't go on to win the whole Southland Conference because of how good, physical and balanced they are. I know Corpus Christi and Stephen F. Austin are both going to be pretty tough to deal with as well, but UTRGV gave us fits. We just found a way to grind out a victory today. It was a good matchup for us against Todd's team, and they're going to keep getting better throughout the year."
UP NEXT
UTEP returns to action next weekend when the Miners host the Borderland Classic from Sep. 10-13.
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