UTEP Volleyball Muzzles Bulldogs with 3-0 Shutout 

RUSTON, Louisiana (KVIA) -- Freshman Landry Braziel led the Miners to another victory, securing a 3-0 (26-24, 25-18, 25-23) sweep over Louisiana Tech on Sunday afternoon at the Thomas Assembly Center. 

UTEP improves to 18-2 (8-0 Conference USA) while LA Tech drops to 6-15 (0-8 CUSA).   

MATCH SUMMARY        
The Miners took the first set 26-24 after a back-and-forth battle, with key blocks by Danika Washington and clutch kills from Ema Uskokovic. In the second set, UTEP pulled ahead early, capitalizing on LA Tech errors and riding Landry Braziel’s powerful kills to a 25-18 win. Uskokovic’s serving was crucial in the third set, delivering three aces in a row to build momentum. LA Tech fought hard to stay in the match, but strong defense and timely kills by Sara Pustahija and Kaya Weaver helped UTEP secure the final set 25-23 and complete the sweep. 

LEADERBOARD           

• Landry Braziel led the offense with a match-high 12 kills while hitting an impressive .450.  
• Mattie Gantt and Kalia Kohler set up the attack, combining for 35 assists, with Gantt contributing 18 and Kohler 17. Kohler also led the team with 8 digs. 
• Ema Uskokovic was dominant from the service line, delivering a match-high 4 aces. 
• Danika Washington anchored the defense with a match-high 4 blocks.  
• Uskokovic topped the scoring with 14 points, and Braziel followed closely with 12.5.

SPLIT BOX           
UTEP held the all-around statistical advantage in kills (43-22), service aces (6-2), and blocks (8-3). UTEP registered a .221 hitting percentage and held LA tech to a .064 H%.   

SET-BY-SET        
ONE | UTEP and Louisiana Tech faced off in a tightly contested first set, with UTEP ultimately emerging victorious 26-24. After falling behind early, UTEP rallied thanks to key kills by Weaver, contributing to closing the gap. Kills by Braziel and Uskokovic, along with a timely block by Washington, helped UTEP stay within reach. UTEP took a timeout and responded with a surge. The Bulldogs fought hard to maintain their lead, but UTEP chipped away, with Uskokovic and Braziel consistently finding openings. Tied at 21-21, the Miners kept their momentum through a crucial LA Tech error and Uskokovic’s clutch kills. Washington’s kill brought them to set point at 24-24, and an LA Tech error gave UTEP the set 26-24, securing a 1-0 lead. 

TWO | In the second set, UTEP built an early lead and never looked back, taking the set 25-18 to go up 2-0 against Louisiana Tech. UTEP capitalized on LA Tech errors early, while kills by Braziel, Uskokovic, and Pustahija kept the momentum rolling. A critical block by Weaver, and more solid defense from Washington and Uskokovic, extended the lead, forcing a LAT timeout. Braziel dominated the set with a series of kills, and UTEP’s blocking and well-placed aces kept LAT from closing the gap. A strong finish from Pustahija and Washington secured the set 25-18 for UTEP. 

THREE | UTEP completed the sweep with a 25-23 win against Louisiana Tech as the Miners came out strong with Uskokovic delivering three straight aces and Braziel getting the offense rolling with an early kill. LA Tech fought back to tie the set multiple times, but Pustahija and Lauren Perry kept UTEP in control. The Miners extended their lead after the media timeout with back-to-back kills from Uskokovic and Washington. Late in the set, Weaver and Braziel came up with a crucial block, and an ace from Iana Loera brought UTEP to match point. Pustahija sealed the set with a final kill, clinching the 3-0 sweep for UTEP. 

NOTABLES

• Landry Braziel achieved two season-highs with her first double-digit kill outing, recording 12 kills on 20 attacks for a remarkable .450 hitting percentage, along with 12.5 points.  
• Lauren Perry also set a season-high with 5 digs. 
• Ema Uskokovic tied her career-high with 4 aces. 
• Danika Washington made her mark with a career-high of 2 solo blocks.

“I wasn't very impressed with our execution today, except for Landry's strong attacking and Danika and Kaya's effective blocking against their middle attacks”, head coach Ben Wallis said. “The good news is that even while playing poorly, we managed to come away with a sweep. We'll head back to El Paso tonight, review the video, and prepare for Jacksonville State.” 

UP NEXT            
The Miners hit the road for Jacksonville, Alabama, as they take on Jax State on October 18-19.