UTEP volleyball takes down Arizona in four sets

TUCSON, Arizona - UTEP volleyball defeated the defending NIVC champions and Big 12 foe Arizona, 3-1, Tuesday night at McKale Center.

The Miners were led by Torrance Lovesee, who tallied a match-high 17 kills and reached a major career milestone, surpassing 1,000 career kills with 1,016 total. 

UTEP improves to 9-1 on the season, while Arizona drops to 6-3. 

MATCH SUMMARY 

The Miners took the first set 25-19, jumping out to an early lead and maintaining control. Arizona answered in the second set with a late surge to even the match at 25-21. UTEP regained momentum in the third set, combining strong swings, timely aces, and key blocks at the net to take the set 25-17. The Miners carried that energy into the fourth set, dominating both offensively and defensively to close out the match 25-18. 

LEADERBOARD 

• Three Miners reached double-digit kills on the night. Lovesee led all players with 17, followed by Kaya Weaver and Sara Pustahija with 10 each.  
• Weaver posted a match-high .562 hitting percentage, while Lovesee hit .441.  
• Kalia Kohler (27) and Mattie Gantt (18) combined for 45 assists and directed the offense to a .380 team hitting percentage; Gantt also contributed two aces.  
• Fuka Sekita recorded a match-high 18 digs, and Pustahija added 12 for a double-double.  
• Danika Washington led all players with five blocks (two solos), while Weaver added four (one solo).  
• Lovesee contributed a match-high 18.5 points. 

SPLIT BOX 

UTEP held the all-around statistical advantage in the match, topping Arizona in kills (61-54), assists (53-43), aces (5-3), digs (54-53), and blocks (10-2). The Miners hit a .380 team percentage and held Arizona to .225. 

SET-BY-SET 

ONE | UTEP stormed out to a dominant start in the opening set at Arizona, building an 8-2 lead behind kills from Kaya Weaver and Sara Pustahija. The Miners kept their foot on the gas as Torrance Lovesee and Mattie Gantt added key kills and service aces to stretch the lead to double digits. Arizona made a late push, cutting the margin to four at 23-19, but Weaver delivered a timely kill before a Wildcat attack error sealed the 25-19 set win for UTEP. 

TWO | Set two was a back-and-forth battle, with UTEP and Arizona trading points through the early stages. The Miners tied the frame at 15–15 behind blocks from Danika Washington and Luvina Oguntimehin, followed by a Lovesee kill that briefly gave UTEP the lead. Arizona responded with a late 5-1 run to pull ahead, and despite kills from Pustahija, Landry Braziel, and Lovesee down the stretch, the Wildcats closed it out 25–21 to even the match at one set apiece. 

THREE | UTEP responded in commanding fashion in the third set, using a balanced attack to overpower Arizona. Lovesee fueled the surge with four early kills, while Oguntimehin and Braziel added steady offense at the net. Aces from Kalia Kohler and Pustahija, along with multiple key blocks, helped the Miners extend their lead to 20-14. UTEP closed the frame on a dominant run, capped by a Weaver kill and a Wildcat error, to take the set 25-17 and a 2-1 match advantage. 

FOUR | UTEP closed out the match in emphatic fashion, controlling the fourth set from the first serve. Pustahija sparked the Miners with early kills and consistent swings, while Washington and Oguntimehin dominated at the net with monster blocks. Weaver, Lovesee, and Braziel each added key points during a decisive 5-0 run that stretched the lead to 18-12. Arizona never recovered, and Braziel hammered down the final kill to secure the 25-18 set victory and a 3-1 road win for the Miners in Tucson. 

UP NEXT 

UTEP travels east to Nacogdoches, Texas, to face #10 SMU on Friday, Sept. 19, followed by a matchup with Stephen F. Austin on Saturday, Sept. 20. The SFA match will be streamed exclusively on ESPN+, and live stats will be available for both matches.