UTEP Volleyball Clinches Conference Road Sweep in Huntsville
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – UTEP volleyball defeated Sam Houston, 3-1, Saturday afternoon in Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum to sweep its opening weekend of Conference USA play.
With the win, the Miners improve to 2-0 in CUSA action (12-2 overall), while the Bearkats drop to 0-2 in league play (8-7 overall).
MATCH SUMMARY
UTEP shook off a slow start in the opening frame, using a mid-set surge to take control and roll to a 25-17 win. The Miners carried that momentum into the second set, rallying from a four-point deficit and finishing on a 7-2 run to claim a 25-20 victory and go up 2-0 in the match. Sam Houston answered in the third, holding off a late UTEP push to take a 25-21 decision. The Miners responded in the fourth, erasing an early Bearkat lead and pulling away late to secure a 25-23 set win and close out the match.
LEADERBOARD
Kaya Weaver paced UTEP with 15 kills and added seven blocks, finishing with a match-high 19.5 points. Sara Pustahija and Torrance Lovesee chipped in 13 kills apiece, with Pustahija leading the trio with a .387 hitting percentage while also posting a double-double (13 kills, 11 digs). Kalia Kohler (29) and Mattie Gantt (16) combined for 45 assists, while Lovesee served up three aces. Defensively, Fuka Sekita led the back row with 14 digs.
SPLIT BOX
The Miners held the advantage in kills (57-54), assists (54-50), aces (6-2), and blocks (11.0-6.0). Sam Houston edged UTEP in digs (56-54). UTEP hit .286 as a team while holding the Bearkats to .197.
NOTABLES
- With the victory, UTEP extends its win streak over Sam Houston to six straight matches (18-4 in sets played).
- The Miners have now opened league play 2-0 seven times in program history, including five times as a member of Conference USA.
- Saturday also marked the sixth match this season in which UTEP has recorded double-digit blocks.
SET-BY-SET
ONE | UTEP stormed back from an early 0-4 deficit to take control of the opening set against Sam Houston, using a balanced attack and tough serving to pull away. Behind multiple kills from Kaya Weaver, the Miners built momentum with a 10-2 run that forced two Bearkat timeouts. Sara Pustahija and Torrance Lovesee added firepower on the pins, while UTEP’s defense limited Sam Houston’s rhythm. The Miners closed it out 25-17, highlighted by kills from five different players and a pair of aces.
TWO | Set two was a battle early, with both teams trading points before Sam Houston grabbed momentum to go up 14-10. UTEP responded with a surge behind Lovesee’s powerful swings, including back-to-back aces to close the gap. The Miners’ block came alive with key stops from Landry Braziel and Weaver to swing the set in their favor. After tying it at 18-all, UTEP pulled away on a 7-2 closing run fueled by Lovesee and Braziel, sealing a 25-20 win to take a 2-0 match lead.
THREE | Sam Houston kept the pressure on in the third set, taking advantage of an early lead despite UTEP’s efforts to rally back behind Weaver’s steady presence at the net. Weaver recorded multiple kills along with Danika Washington to keep the Miners within striking distance, while Pustahija and Lovesee added key points to close the gap to just one at 16-15. But the Bearkats responded late, stringing together points down the stretch to fend off UTEP’s push. Despite a team-high scoring run from Washington, Sam Houston held on to claim the set 25-21, cutting UTEP’s match lead to 2-1.
FOUR | The Miners dug deep in the fourth set after falling behind early, using balanced scoring to claw back. Kills from Weaver, Lovesee, and Pustahija erased the deficit, while Washington and Luvina Oguntimehin provided key swings late. With the score tied at 20-20, UTEP capitalized on Sam Houston errors and executed at the net to take control. Washington’s kill set up match point, and Oguntimehin delivered the final swing to seal a 25-23 victory, giving the Miners a 3-1 win in their Conference USA opening weekend.
UP NEXT
UTEP returns home to Club Memorial next weekend to host Liberty on Oct. 3-4 in El Paso. Both matches will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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