Borderland Invitational UTEP vs Pacific Volleyball 9-7-19

 UTEP Grad Asst. Tatyana Battle

Doesn't she look adorable here?

I went back home after the morning match, since it was going to be four hours until the next match.  I wrote up the recap, but wasn’t able to take a nap like I wanted.  I waited about eating lunch, hoping I’d be able to get with Ron and go out to eat before the next match.  He was still busy with the remodeling project and wouldn’t be able to go at all.  I had found a Raising Canes coupon laying in the Pan-Am Center concourse after last night’s game.  During the match, nobody had said anything about a promotion.  It was only good for today and was a two-for-one coupon, so I was keenly disappointed to not be able to use it.

Instead, I choked down a meal out of a can in record time.  I listened to a bit of Aggie Football playing Alabama while I was eating/gagging.  Their stadium had more people in it than there are here in Las Cruces.  The Crimson Tide scored on a rush on their first play from scrimmage.  Exactly nobody was surprised.  This might literally be the best opponent the Aggie Football program has ever played.

I came back to the Pan-Am and sat by Danny and Mike.  I was embarrassingly confused for a moment watching the teams warming up.  The Pacific Tigers were wearing orange tops (like UTEP wears) and the Miners were wearing black tournament t-shirts.  For the actual game though, they switched colors.  (Thank goodness, it might have confused me for the whole match.) 

On the sidelines, Coach Ben Wallis, former Aggie assistant, was leading the Miners.  Congratulations (darn it).  Coach Wallis was interviewed on KROD last month.  He offhandedly said something that had me scrambling to look up their team roster.  Yes indeed, he had taken graduated Aggie star player Tatyana Battle with him as a graduate assistant.  Congratulations to her as well (darn it).  Coach Wallis had run a bunch of summer camps for girls and boys in El Paso.  Interestingly, he mentioned that Men’s Volleyball is the third most popular sport internationally (behind soccer and basketball).  Most other countries have professional Men’s leagues. 

When Coach Jordan was interviewed earlier in the week on the radio, he said he thought of Coach Wallis as a brother and had helped him get the job.  That said, he said it’s going to be awkward to play against him.  Still, Jordan said he plays against close friends all the time and it is kind of fun.  AD Mario Moccia, earlier on the Aggie Coaches Show, had also wished Wallis well, except for the two hours where they’ll be enemies when their teams are playing.  That said, Coach Jordan was not above playing some head-games.  His Assistant Coaches, Rubio and Hertel, started working the match as ball boys.  Jordan himself was sitting on top on the south grandstand in the shadows watching.

UTEP #3 Briana Bustillos 

I was disappointed in Miner team roster.  Former Aggie and the Miner’s libero last season, Briana Bustillos, was no longer on the team.  (They didn’t list a dedicated libero on the program, though there was one in the game.)  I was really looking forward to seeing her play.  She’s such a cutie with a wonderful smile.  Irbe Lazda in the lineup caught my eye as an impressive physical specimen.  The Miners also had a pretty little permed blonde on the bench, but she wasn’t suited up to play.  Taty looked smart in her UTEP polo shirt.  Another Assistant Coach was an eye-catching snow white blonde, Andrea Beaty.  (Though Katie Hoekman in the same position for the Pacific team was probably a bit hotter and certainly seemed more pleasant, as we shall see). 

It was another light crowd, but UTEP did bring some fans.  They were scattered around the arena.  (These visiting teams should coordinate better and sit in the same section, like for Women’s Basketball games.)  Emerson was here for this game sitting next to PA Ed.  The UTEP team got a big cheer when they were introduced.  Coach Wallis and Taty were given a special introduction.  Ben waved to the few Aggie fans present.  Taty was too shy (at this time) to stand up from the bench.

Set 1

UTEP started with a decided advantage in cheering.  Not only did they have some fans there, their reserves outnumbered Pacific 13 to 5.  I was still listening to Aggie Football on my little radio while watching this match.  I couldn’t resist.  At the start of the match, the Aggies finally scored on Alabama.  I shouted out, “Touchdown Aggies!”  Nobody cared.  I think it was the third quarter.  The score was 45-7.

The Tigers showed no signs of fatigue from playing this morning.  They rushed out to a 5-1 lead.  Heavy hitter, Riley Patterson had a kill.  I didn’t see any of the Aggie girls watching the game at this time, except for Analyssa Acosta.  I think I saw her across the court in the boosters section.  She sat with her family.  I’m sure they were there to support her in the later game, but they might have been rooting for UTEP here, since they’re from El Paso.

The Tigers continued to pour it on.  11-5 Pacific, Lucy Carpenter had a great kill.  At 12-5, timeout Miners.  UTEP came back with a couple of points.  13-7, Riley hit another serve out.  The coach might consider subbing for her turn.  If she’d take a little off it, she’d be more accurate.  17-9, Tigers got a stuff block.  18-9, a bad Tiger dig popped up and dropped in on the Miner side.  That’s when you know you’re getting lucky.  Timeout Miners.  UTEP came out on a short run.  21-13, Riley took my above advice and got a kill.  (It’s not how hard you hit it; it’s where you hit it.)  24-24, there was an overrule on a touch to give Riley another kill.  The Tigers took Set 1, 25-24.  They were all jacked up for their first set win of the invitational.

Set 2: Tigers 1, Miners 0

Sweet Dreams played over the PA during the break.  One of the line officials chatted with Coach Rubio on the sidelines.  UTEP took the first point on an overpass, and the second on a double touch.  With the third point, the Miner reserves stepped up and cheered.  They increased it to 7-3, as the Tigers made consecutive out serves.  8-6, Pacific got back into it with a couple of good kills, but their run ended on a net serve.

9-9, the Tigers got a soft kill to tie it.  UTEP took the lead right back at 10-9, as they blocked Riley.  This got a big rise out of their bench.  UTEP took the next point on a long rally.  Pretty slim blonde Allison Dennemann, who I’d noticed yesterday, made a brave dive into the bench for a dig.  Riley came up with a kill to make it 11-10 UTEP, but gave it right back on another out-serve.  13-11, Allison got a kill here.  15-12, net violation called on UTEP.  Coach Wallis argued the call.  Overall, I’d say he’d been more even tempered here so far than when he was an Aggie assistant coach.

The Tigers took a timeout at 17-13 UTEP.  After a Miner run, the Tigers took a timeout at 18-16.  19-16, the Tigers were called for a roof (I think).  Coach Wallis nodded and agreed with the call.  20-16, timeout Tigers.  Beside me, Mike was looking up the PA song with the Shazam app on his phone.  (How did DC blow the trademark on that word, especially after they renamed Captain Marvel with it and then later released a movie with him?  Don’t tell me they actually licensed the name out for the app.  Don’t get me started on the whole “Captain Marvel” name thing.)  23-16, Syenna Masaki for UTEP poured in two aces.  The Hawaii native is the team’s serving specialist.  UTEP took Set 2, 25-17.  We were even on sets, so no sweep for this match.

Pacific Tiger Allison Dennemann

Set 3: Tigers 1, Miners 1

The “half” was only two minutes, just like a regular set break.  Organizers wanted to move this match along.  Shout from Animal House played on the video board.  A UTEP fan lady flossing also made it onscreen.  Both teams came out firing hard.  4-3 UTEP, Allison got her second kill of the set.  6-3, the Tigers were called for a lift.  7-5, Allison was on fire with an ace on serve. 

9-7 UTEP, Tiger net serve.  10-8, Miner net serve.  11-9, Miner net serve.  12-10, Miner out-serve.  A little tight, maybe?  13-12, Sedona Sherman for the Tigers pounded one.  13-13, the Tigers pounded it on an overpass kill.  They took the lead, 14-13, on a missed dump shot.  Timeout Miners.  UTEP came back and retook the lead, 15-14, on a Tiger DT.  16-14, a massive block for UTEP. 

Elsewhere, Aggie Football lost to Alabama, 62-10.  Yes!  They covered the 55-point spread, and I just made a cool grand.  (Just kidding, although a friend of a co-worker did actually did make money taking that bet.)  I was disappointed that the Aggies made it to the Bama 2-yard line at the end of the game and didn’t score before time expired.  (Can you say there was a fix on this game?)  Josh Adkins had been taken out as the quarterback in the fourth, though he was in a receiver/decoy on the goal line.

Now, I was fully paying attention to the volleyball.  18-15 UTEP, the Miners got a block and Pacific took a timeout here and at 20-16.  UTEP Assistant Coach Beaty took the time to scream at one of the girls.  She’s attractive, but rather frightening.  The Tiger Coach Greg Gibbons only took about 10 seconds in the huddle with his team.  Two UTEP fouls got the Tigers right back into it.  Allison got a mishit kill off a bad set at 23-21 UTEP.  She could do no wrong here.  24-21, DT Tigers.  25-21, UTEP took Set 3 on another Tiger double touch. 

UTEP Miner Martine Kragholm

Set 4: Miners 2, Tigers 1

A Tigers player argued those DT calls with an official between sets.  Afterward, the up and down officials had a serious chat as well.  I found out where that Raising Canes coupon came from yesterday.  They were handing them out to everyone in a random specific section.  Try to sit with a crowd.  It might increase your chances. 

UTEP took the first point as their bench was very into it.  The Tigers went up 2-1 after a long rally.  UTEP tied it at 2, but the Tigers went up 4-2 on a DT.  UTEP stormed back to a 7-5 lead with Anamarija Mikovic on a serving run.  The Tigers came back.  Allison split the defenders for a kill at 7-6, and the Tigers tied it at 8-8 on a block.  They took the lead, 9-8, on an ace off the tape.  They went up 11-9 off of two kills by Riley.  12-9, another ace and a UTEP timeout.

The Pacific reserves danced to Jump in the Line.  Mike looked it up on Shazam.  He was showing me how the app worked and I missed a couple of points.  15-10 Tigers, a long rally went to the Miners.  16-11, Tiger Carissa Bradford absolutely bombed one to break up the UTEP run.  16-12, a Riley net serve.  17-13, another Tiger net serve.  18-13, Carissa again, as she banged one off a defender.  19-14, the crowd got into it with this long rally.  It finished with a Miner block going out.  This was a heck of a match here.

I noticed local photographer Gary Mook had taken over as one of the ballboys.  I’m sure he didn’t expect to be doing that today.  I’ll guess the Aggie assistant coaches had to go do some pregame coaching, though I think Coach Jordan was still watching.  19-16, Martine Kragholm for UTEP came up to serves.  Whoa!  What a gorgeous, well-built young woman.  How did I miss seeing her earlier?  Pacific had a foul on the play and took a timeout.

19-17 Tigers, the Miners got a rejection block here.  19-18, the Tigers fired one out.  20-18, the Tigers break, though the Miners got a brilliant save during the point.  The up ref tossed a towel down to Tiger Kaelyn Saler, who was cleaning the floor.  She tossed it back up to him.  He juggled it and managed to snatch it out of midair.  Kaelyn smiled up at him. 

20-20, we were in a dogfight here.  22-20 Tigers, off a bad set, a bad hit dropped in.  Timeout UTEP.  23-22, another net serve Riley!  Come on!  She’s great on the floor, but please stop letting her serve!  24-22, a Miner block went out.  25-22, Tigers take the set on an ace by Jadyn Tubbs. 

Set 5: Miners 2, Tigers 2

Let’s play five!  A coin flip determined the first serve on the sidelines (I think).  The Pacific girls were practicing ballroom dancing while Sweet Caroline was playing.  Obviously, the girls were feeling the pressure.  OMG!  Riley put two hard serves in to start the set.  I’m not sure what the coach was thinking, but it worked here, 1-1.  Jadyn served next and got an ace, 3-1 Tigers.  Carrissa got a kill, 4-1, and a Miner timeout. 

5-3 Tigers, Irbe slapped one on an overpass for UTEP.  She definitely has the frame for doing that.  6-3, net serve UTEP.  7-3, Martine shanked a receive for UTEP.  8-4, out-serve on UTEP.  The teams changed sides.  9-4, Allison served up an ace as Martine shanked another one.  9-5, Irbe dunked another overpass.  9-6, this time Allison shanked on a receive.  10-6, Riley came up with a kill.

By this point, the match had run long enough for the Lobos and the Aggies to have arrived at the Pan-Am Center.  Some of the Aggies watched from the top of the south grandstand.  10-7 Tigers, Pacific made an out-serve.  10-9, UTEP was making a comeback.  Their reserves were going crazy.  Timeout Tigers.  10-10, we’re tied.  11-10 Pacific, Kennedy Kaminsky put the Tigers up with a slap down.  12-10 Tigers, timeout UTEP.  13-10, Kennedy again with a tip kill.  Pacific would go on to win the set and match 15-11 and 3-2.  On the final point off a very hard hit, the Miners made a valiant effort to keep it in. 

Whew!  What a game!  I admit I was kind of rooting for Pacific.  I might have been cheering on UTEP this time, but after seeing Pacific get beat twice, including this morning, I felt bad for them.  The Tigers started stretching out on the floor right after.  The Miner players went into the crowd to mingle with family.  Coach Wallis recruited a whole bunch of El Paso players for the team.

The Tigers showed some physical and mental resilience after playing earlier and getting swept in their first two games.  The stats on the scoreboard were wrong, but I got the correct stats later online.  I question Riley Patterson’s serving (5 service errors), but she led everyone with 17 kills.  Carrissa Bradford and Kennedy Kaminsky were next with 10.  My crush, Allison Denemann, had 9. 

In spite of the loss here, Coach Wallis has obviously done a great job with the Miners.  Serena Patterson led UTEP with 11 kills.  The team showed some real fight.  A little more star talent and they’d be very hard to beat, and they’ve got some girls that at least physically look like that could be stars.   

Okay, on to the main event for the day, Aggies versus Lobos.