UNLV opened Mountain West play by doing something it had not managed often enough early in the season: turning a close match into a win.
Macee McKenna and Kamri Yergensen scored in the second half, while Riley Hodson protected the lead late as the Rebels beat UTEP 2-1 Thursday night at Peter Johann Memorial Field.
The victory moved UNLV to 3-4-2 overall and 1-0 in conference play. It also extended the Rebels’ unbeaten run to three matches and handed UTEP its first loss of the season.
McKenna breaks the deadlock
The first half was scoreless, but UNLV created the more dangerous chances.
The Rebels finished the opening 45 minutes with seven shots and put three on target. UTEP managed five attempts before halftime, but none forced a save from Hodson.
UNLV finally broke through at 50:10. McKenna scored her first goal of the season off an assist from Tori Martinez, giving the Rebels a 1-0 lead just over five minutes into the second half.
The goal rewarded a match in which UNLV had already forced UTEP goalkeeper Savanah Finley into three saves before halftime.
Yergensen adds the cushion
UTEP began to generate more pressure after the break, but UNLV struck again before the Miners could find an equalizer.
Julia Salem put a shot on target at 68:51, and Yergensen converted the resulting chance to make it 2-0. The goal was Yergensen’s second of the season and her second in as many matches.
The sequence also gave Salem an assist for the second straight match. For UNLV, the timing mattered as much as the finish because UTEP had already started increasing its attacking volume.
The Miners eventually responded at 77:13 when Anai Lopez scored off assists from Valeria Agudelo and Dannique Wilson. That cut the lead to 2-1 and shifted the final stretch into a test of UNLV’s ability to protect a result.
Hodson closes it out
UTEP finished with 11 second-half shots and 16 overall, but only four of those attempts reached the target.
Hodson made three saves, including a stop on Haylee Lancaster in the 90th minute that preserved the one-goal advantage. UNLV also limited the damage despite facing more second-half pressure.
The overall numbers reflected a balanced match rather than a dominant one. UTEP held a 16-13 advantage in total shots and a 5-4 edge in corners, while UNLV finished with the more important 6-4 edge in shots on goal.
Yergensen led the Rebels with four shots and two on target. Salem added three attempts and an assist, while McKenna scored on one of her two shots.
A better trend at the right time
The win gave UNLV consecutive victories after beating Pacific 3-2 in its previous match. The Rebels are now unbeaten in three straight, beginning with a 2-2 draw at CSUN.
That stretch has also shown a more productive attacking pattern. UNLV has reached double-digit shots in four consecutive matches and has scored multiple goals in each of its last two wins.
More importantly, the Rebels have started converting tight matches into results. Eight of their nine matches this season have been decided by one goal or ended level, which makes Thursday’s ability to finish and defend a narrow lead especially relevant as conference play begins.
UNLV is now 2-0-2 in matches in which it scores multiple goals.
Up next
The Rebels play their first Mountain West road match Sunday at Grand Canyon in Phoenix.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. PT.
Related stories
Welcome to Dice City Sports — where we provide premium, exclusive, up-to-date news and analysis surrounding the Las Vegas sports scene. Follow along on social media, and check back for new articles daily!
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.
