UNLV needed a response after opening Mountain West play with two losses to UC Davis.
It got one Thursday night in El Paso.
The Rebels swept UTEP 25-22, 25-20, 27-25 at Memorial Gym, improving to 5-9 overall and 1-2 in conference play. UNLV hit .257, held the Miners to .129 and finished with a 62-45 advantage in digs.
The result mattered because of how UNLV got there. The Rebels were not dependent on one attacker carrying the offense, and they did not need a fifth set to finish the job.
Ingram gives UNLV another gear
Jada Ingram was the cleanest attacker on the floor.
The junior middle blocker finished with 10 kills on 17 swings and only one error, good for a .529 hitting percentage. She also added three blocks and one ace.
That production gave UNLV a reliable option through the middle and helped take some of the scoring burden off the pins.
Jaida Harris matched Ingram with 10 kills and hit .269. Rheanna Deen-Jackson added eight kills, while Logan Lindsay finished with six and hit .333.
UNLV also got useful production from Cami Christiansen, who had three kills on six swings.
The balance showed up in the team numbers. The Rebels finished with 42 kills against only 14 attack errors, while UTEP committed 21 errors and never hit above .200 in a set.
Defense travels
UNLV’s back row was just as important as its attack.
Basia Latos finished with a match-high 17 digs, while Caleigh King added 15 and Harris had eight. The Rebels kept enough balls off the floor to extend rallies and force UTEP into uncomfortable swings throughout the night.
UNLV also finished with a 7-4 edge in team blocks.
At setter, Kamryn Scroggins had 18 assists and Kaia Thiele added 13 as the Rebels used both to keep the offense moving.
King, Harris close it out
The third set provided the tightest finish.
UTEP pushed UNLV to 25-25, but the Rebels handled the final two points with the kind of composure they had been searching for in tight sets.
King delivered a service ace to make it 26-25. Harris followed with the match-ending kill for a 27-25 finish.
That sequence was a fitting way to close a night in which UNLV played steadier volleyball from start to finish.
The Rebels did not dominate every category, but they were cleaner where it mattered most. They attacked more efficiently, defended more balls and got production from multiple spots on the floor.
After back-to-back conference losses, that was enough to turn the road opener into a sweep.
Up next
UNLV remains in El Paso for the second match of the series against UTEP on Saturday at noon PT.
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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.
