UNLV is starting to look more settled.
The Rebels beat UC Irvine 3-1 on Saturday at The Pavilion, winning 25-18, 16-25, 25-22, 25-19 to improve to 3-7 and move to 2-0 in The Rebel Challenge.
It was UNLV’s second straight victory and another sign that the Rebels are beginning to turn competitive stretches into complete matches.
Jaida Harris led the way with 19 kills and 12 digs, while UNLV finished with a 54-43 advantage in kills and hit .199 to UC Irvine’s .130.
UNLV answers after Set 2
The match could have tilted after UC Irvine controlled the second set 25-16.
Instead, UNLV responded with its best offensive set of the afternoon.
The Rebels hit .261 in the third with 19 kills, using a more balanced attack to recover control. Rheanna Deen-Jackson, Logan Lindsay and Basia Latos all contributed during a set UNLV closed 25-22.
That response mattered because UC Irvine had created real pressure from the service line.
The Anteaters finished with nine aces, three times UNLV’s total, and forced the Rebels into uncomfortable stretches in serve receive.
UNLV did not erase that advantage. It played through it.
Harris leads, middles stay efficient
Harris was the most reliable attacking option on the floor.
She finished with 19 kills on 52 swings, hit .288 and added 12 digs for a double-double.
Latos added 12 kills and four assists, while Lindsay finished with seven kills and hit .316.
UNLV also continued to get efficient production through the middle.
Deen-Jackson had six kills on 12 swings with only one error, good for a .417 hitting percentage. Jada Ingram added five kills and two block assists.
Kamryn Scroggins directed the offense with 30 assists and added a team-high 20 digs. Caleigh King finished with 14 digs and six assists, while Arrie Brown added 10 digs.
Fourth set closes the door
The fourth set was where UNLV separated itself.
The Rebels hit .231 with 15 kills, while UC Irvine managed just nine kills and hit .051.
UNLV built an early cushion, then kept the Anteaters from finding the extended scoring run they needed to force another fifth set.
That mattered for a team that spent much of the first two weeks living in long matches.
Saturday was different.
UNLV absorbed UC Irvine’s best stretch, answered in the third and controlled the fourth instead of letting the match drift.
That is a better sign of progress than the final score alone.
Up next
UNLV closes The Rebel Challenge on Sunday against UC San Diego at 1 p.m. PT at The Pavilion.
The Rebels enter the finale 2-0 in the tournament, while UC San Diego is 1-0.
Sunday’s match will decide The Rebel Challenge champion.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Las Vegas Aces, Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
