SANDS NAMED MW FRESHMAN AND DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
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After helping the Rebels to a 2-1 record over the weekend and being named to the Southern Utah Invitational All-Tournament team, UNLV volleyball’s Maya Sands was named the Mountain West Freshman and Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced Monday.
Sands, a 5-7 libero from Rock Falls, Illinois, helped the Scarlet & Gray to a 2-1 record at the Southern Utah Invitational held in Cedar City and St. George, Utah. She recorded 55 digs, seven assists, five service aces, five points and three receptions in three matches.
Against Idaho State, she recorded a career-high 20 digs, four assists and one ace. Against SUU, Maya tallied 17 digs, one assist, four aces and four points. Sands was also a key player for the Rebels in their sweep over Utah Tech on Saturday, she had 18 digs and two assists for UNLV.
UP NEXT: The Rebels will open up conference play on the road against Colorado State in Fort Collins, Colorado Thursday, September 22 at 6 p.m. (PT), before heading over to Laramie, Wyoming for a conference matchup against Wyoming Saturday, September 24 at 12 p.m. (PT).
OTHER NEWS & NOTES
– Dating back to 2019, UNLV has gone 66-14 in its last 80 matches. The Rebels have won nine of 11 matches this season and 35 of its last 43.
– UNLV returned eight letterwinners this season. Also returning to the squad from last season were Gabrielle Arretche-Ramos, Arien Fafard, Jordyn Freeman, Chloe Thomas, Isha Knight, Keyana Cruse, Dakota Quinlan, Livvy Setla, Isabel Martin and Thea Sweder. There are eight newcomers, which include three freshmen, a trio of transfers and a pair of graduate transfers.
– UNLV is led by fifth-year head coach Dawn Sullivan, who looks to guide her squad to the postseason for the fifth straight season.
– Junior Arien Fafard had her 1,000th career assist during the opening weekend of the Rebels’ 2022 campaign at UNT.
– The Rebels defeated No. 19 Kansas on September 10, 2022, making that the second win over a ranked team since 2016. The first being then No. 25 Washington State during the fall 2021 season at the Rebel Challenge (Sept. 4, 2021).
– This was the first contest held between both programs, as Utah Tech, formally known as Dixie State, moved to NCAA Division I status during the 2021-22 season.