UTEP volleyball earns statement win over New Mexico State; Off to best start since 2006
EL PASO, Texas - As UTEP and New Mexico State prepared for a decisive 5th set, UTEP Head Volleyball Coach Ben Wallis pulled senior outside hitter Serena Patterson aside. With the full crowd at Memorial Gym on their feet, Wallis had to lean in to be audible.
"It was real simple," Wallis said of his conversation with his All-Conference senior leader. "It was you've put in a lot of work for this moment. And they're giving you certain things that you're going to take, and I want you to know that you're gonna play great and you're gonna be great."
Patterson and the Miners lived up to the moment, securing a program-defining win in a five set thriller over their rival Aggies (20-25, 32-30, 24-26, 25-22, 15-12).
The win moves UTEP to 6-0 on the season, gives them their first win over New Mexico State since 2012.
Patterson (11 kills, 13 digs) and fellow senior Paulina Perez Rosas (12 kills, 16 digs) posted double-doubles, and freshman Ema Uskokovic finished with a career-high 16 kills.
"That means the most to the city, to the people here," said Wallis of the win over New Mexico State. "It's time."
"It's time for this program to be recognized what they are and that's really good volleyball."
The match's intensity was best illustrated in that none of the five sets were decided by more than five points.
After dropping the first set, the Miners had to fight off four Aggie set points in the second set before eventually prevailing 32-30.
New Mexico State took the third set behind Shaney Lipscomb, who paced the Aggies with 14 kills.
But UTEP took the fourth set and in conclusion the match, to set the Miners on their best start as a program since 2006.
For Wallis, who was hired as UTEP's Head Coach after serving as Associate Head Coach for current Aggie Head Coach Mike Jordan at New Mexico State, the win was particularly emotional.
"This meant a lot to me because I left a program at New Mexico State that I loved dearly and cared about to come and revitalize this program."
"The win means a lot to them," added Wallis of his current team at UTEP. "But it means a lot to me too, and they knew it."
Sunday's victory capped an incredible weekend for the Miners, who knocked off Power Five opponents Arizona and Northwestern on Friday. It marked the first time in school history that Miners defeated two Power Five schools on the same day.
UTEP returns to action in the Portland State Tournament on September 10th.
