Round 1 - Tulsa vs. UTEP

UTEP 3, TULSA 1 (25-18, 21-25, 25-17, 25-19)

​The UTEP volleyball program picked up its first-ever postseason victory in the first round of the 2021 Women’s NIVC on Thursday night with a 3-1 win over Tulsa.

Yasso Amin and Alianzo Darley proved a formidable duo up front with 13 kills each on a combined .408 hitting (26-6-49), while Paulina Perez Rosas added 12 kills. It was the service game that was the story of the match however, as UTEP racked up 14 aces, including a career-high eight from freshman setter Ryley Frye. Frye also registered a career high with 28 assists in the match.

As a team, UTEP hit .313 (58-17-131) in the match, while holding Tulsa to just .215 hitting. Tulsa was led by Kayley Cassady and Maggie Hembree, who had 16 and 12 kills, respectively.
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After splitting the first two sets, Tulsa held a 4-2 lead in the third set. UTEP utilized a 12-2 run from that point, much of which with Frye serving, to take a commanding 14-6 lead in the frame. UTEP never looked back after that and closed out the final two sets, 25-17 and 25-19. The Miners will take on the winner of Colorado State and Houston Baptist in the second round of the NIVC.