Thursday night stung. UNLV swept UTEP at Memorial Gym, 25-22, 25-20, 27-25, and the Miners hit just .129 with 21 attack errors on the way to their first league loss.
Saturday was a different story. UTEP swept the Rebels 25-17, 25-21, 25-23, hit .248 and sent Memorial Gym home happy.
Where the Miners Stand
UTEP is 11-5 overall and 3-1 in Mountain West play, in its first season in the league. The Miners opened conference play with a sweep at Wyoming, their first-ever win in Laramie. They followed it with a 3-1 win Saturday night.
Ben Wallis’ program is chasing a third straight NCAA Tournament appearance, this time through a new conference gauntlet. A 3-1 start is a strong launching point.
Next Up: Back-to-Back in Reno
The Miners travel to Nevada for matches on Thursday, Oct. 8 (7 p.m. local) and Saturday, Oct. 10. Playing the same opponent twice in three days rewards the team that adjusts faster. UTEP just did exactly that against UNLV.
Cut the attack errors and keep the serve-and-block pressure that carried the Wyoming sweep, and this trip is very winnable.
The Rivalry Stretch
Then it gets personal. New Mexico visits Memorial Gym on Oct. 15, and the Miners head to Albuquerque on Oct. 17 for the return match. It’s a split home-and-home with an old regional rival, and El Paso should pack the gym.
After that, the schedule runs through Air Force, San Jose State, UC Davis and a road trip to Grand Canyon.
The Finish Line
The Mountain West Championship is Nov. 24-25 in Las Vegas, with the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Nov. 29. Every league weekend between now and is massive towards that bracket.
What to Watch: Cleaner hitting, because UTEP’s best matches have come when it keeps the errors down. Also watch the Nevada series for a road-sweep statement, and Oct. 15-17 as the first real measuring stick against New Mexico.
