UTEP Volleyball (12-2, 2-0 Conference USA) completed a strong start to its conference season with a 3-0 sweep over FIU at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center on Saturday morning. The sets ended with scores of 25-22, 25-16, and 25-12.
Match Overview
UTEP took an early lead in the first set, with several key kills. Although FIU attempted to close the gap, UTEP secured the first set at 25-22. In the second set, FIU raced ahead with a 7-1 lead, but after a UTEP timeout, the Miners responded with a stunning 16-1 run to win 25-16. The final set saw UTEP maintain control, highlighted by contributions from Ema Uskokovic, Danika Washington, and Torrance Lovesee. Alyssa Sianez added four aces during an 11-0 scoring run. With strong blocks from Kaya Weaver and Lauren Perry, UTEP finished the match with a decisive 25-12 win.
Key Players
Torrance Lovesee led UTEP with 10 kills and an impressive hitting percentage of .400. Setters Kalia Kohler and Mattie Gantt combined for 28 assists, guiding the team to a remarkable .344 hitting percentage. Alyssa Sianez contributed four aces and led the team with 12 digs. Kaya Weaver anchored the defense with eight blocks, contributing to a match-high total of 14.5 points.
Statistical Highlights
UTEP dominated the statistics, outpacing FIU in kills (42-25), service aces (6-3), and blocks (9-7). UTEP posted a hitting percentage of .344, while FIU struggled with a .057 hitting percentage.
Set Breakdown
Set One: UTEP took an early lead with kills from Kaya Weaver and Ema Uskokovic. Although FIU tied the game several times, UTEP pulled ahead with strong plays, winning the set 25-22 thanks to a decisive kill from Weaver.
Set Two: After falling behind 7-1, UTEP regrouped and tied the score at 8-8. A dominant 16-1 run led the Miners to a 25-16 victory, putting them ahead 2-0 in the match.
Set Three: UTEP controlled the game from the start, with key contributions from Uskokovic, Washington, and Lovesee. Following back-to-back aces from Alyssa Sianez, UTEP extended their lead with strong blocks and offensive plays, closing the set 25-12 to complete the sweep.
Coach’s Remarks
“I’m glad we were able to come away with a sweep,” said Coach Ben Wallis. “We played a little sketchy in the first set, but FIU was trying hard. We wore them out and pushed them around in the second and third sets. It was exciting to see our team support our freshmen in the third set. Our team is thrilled to play, and I’m proud of getting two wins on the road. This team is hungry, dangerous, and deep. While we didn’t pass great, we still managed to dominate and secure the sweeps, which speaks volumes about our potential. Coming home 2-0 is what matters, and we’re fired up to return to Club Memorial.”
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