Miners Fight Fire with Fire, Sweep Flames for Record 14th Conference Win

LYNCHBURG, Virgina (KVIA) -- The UTEP Volleyball team made history on the road, earning its 14th conference win of the season with a dominant 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-20) sweep over Liberty, breaking the program record for most conference victories in a single season.  

UTEP improves to 24-4 (14-2 Conference USA) while Liberty drops to 13-15 (7-9 CUSA).     

MATCH SUMMARY          
The Miners started strong in the first set with back-to-back aces from Kalia Kohler and powerful kills from Kaya Weaver, building a lead that they never relinquished. In set two, UTEP battled through a tight contest, with Ema Uskokovic and Sara Pustahija delivering crucial kills, while the defense stepped up with timely blocks. The third set saw the Miners seal the win with relentless offensive firepower, including key kills from Uskokovic and Pustahija, and solid defensive efforts at the net.  

LEADERBOARD            

• Uskokovic led the Miners offensively with 14 kills and a stellar .393 hitting percentage, totaling a match-high 17.5 points.  
• Kohler (23 assists) and Mattie Gantt (18 assists) combined for 41 assists, directing UTEP's offense to an impressive .367 hitting percentage.  
• The Miners also dominated at the service line with 10 aces, including three each from Torrance Lovesee and Kohler.  
• Defensively, Weaver was a force at the net, recording 6 blocks.

SPLIT BOX            
UTEP held the all-around statistical advantage in kills (43-35), service aces (10-4), and blocks (10-6). UTEP registered a .367 hitting percentage and held Liberty to a .198 H%.    

SET-BY-SET          
ONE | UTEP came out strong in the first set against Liberty, taking an early lead with back-to-back aces from Kohler. The Miners showcased their offensive power with multiple kills from Weaver, who delivered four early in the set, and clutch blocks from Uskokovic, Weaver, and their front line to keep Liberty at bay. UTEP's service game was on fire, highlighted by aces from Lovesee, Gantt, and Ava Martindale, extending their lead. With solid contributions at the net from Danika Washington and Landry Braziel, UTEPmaintained control throughout, capitalizing on Liberty's errors to close out the set 25-18. The Miners went up 1-0, setting the tone for the match. 

TWO | UTEP carried their momentum into the second set, battling through a tight start against Liberty. Uskokovic's dynamic presence at the net, both offensively and defensively, helped the Miners regain control after an early deficit. UTEP's blocking duo of Uskokovic and Weaver made crucial stops, while Uskokovic'sservice ace shifted the momentum in their favor. Lovesee continued to dominate with timely kills, supported by key contributions from Washington and Lauren Perry. With Liberty struggling to overcome UTEP's relentless pressure, the Miners pulled ahead, forcing errors and leveraging strong serves, including a late ace from Lovesee. After a brief push from Liberty, UTEP sealed the set 25-22 with a decisive kill from Pustahija, giving the Miners a commanding 2-0 lead in the match. 

THREE | UTEP closed out the match in dominant fashion, sweeping Liberty with a 25-20 win in the third set. Lovesee and Uskokovic sparked the offense early, while Pustahija's kills kept the Miners within striking distance. A pivotal service ace by Kohler fueled a momentum shift, and UTEP's front line of Braziel, Weaver, and Washington delivered clutch blocks to stifle Liberty's attack. Uskokovic was on fire, delivering the match-winning kill after combining with Weaver for multiple crucial blocks. 

Final Thoughts by Head Coach Ben Wallis 
"Great win for the Miners on the road with a much more efficient outing from our team. It was really impressive to see Ema take over the match, tallying almost 18 points in just three sets. She excelled in all areas—offensively, blocking, serving, and digging. I'm also proud of our setters for both converting over 50% of their attempts. Even though our passing wasn't at its best, we were still able to be physical and effective from an attacking standpoint across the board. I loved the way we served today, with a better balance of pressure versus errors. If we can maintain that, we'll be tough to beat moving forward.

Reaching 14 conference wins and setting a new program record is something this team knows and takes pride in. We're excited to build on that as we head into our final home matches this week against a strong Kennesaw State team. They've been playing well and have a few standout players, so we'll need to bring our best to earn those wins. I'm incredibly proud of this group—it's a pleasure to coach them." 

UP NEXT              
Next up for UTEP is the final weekend of the regular season, as the Miners host Kennesaw State at Club Memorial on Nov. 15-16 for Senior Weekend.