Rebels meeting big goals

Erin Greenwood was looking for a little sunshine when she came to Las Vegas last year.

She found it -- and quite a bit more.

Greenwood, a 6-foot-4-inch sophomore from Woodway, Wash., chose to play her college volleyball at UNLV based largely on her fancy for warm weather. She also had a suspicion that the Rebels were on the verge of something big.

"I really came here because I loved the players and the coaches," said Greenwood, who earned numerous honors during her three varsity seasons as a middle blocker at Washington's Edmonds Woodway High School. "I really liked all the sunshine, and I felt this was a program that was on its way up. I really saw a lot of potential."

Greenwood's hunches have proved correct. The Rebels went 20-10 last year and have climbed to No. 25 in the national rankings this season with a 21-3 overall record and a 12-2 Mountain West Conference mark.

"We're proud of everything we've done," said Greenwood, whose team has won 10 consecutive matches. "Not only in the last five years, but also from last year to this year. There have been so many improvements, and this team has come together like no other team."

But the season is not over. In fact, UNLV will embark on its most important road trip of the year this weekend, when it faces perennial league powers Utah and Brigham Young. The Rebels beat both the Utes and the Cougars in September, but that was at home, where they finished undefeated in league play this past weekend.

"It's definitely going to be our biggest road trip of the year," Greenwood said. "At home, BYU is so good. That's going to be a big one."

Greenwood is second on the Rebels with 67 blocks, and she'll probably need a few more to give UNLV any chance of winning in Utah.

Rebels coach Allison Keeley said she expects the fifth-place Utes (11-14, 7-7) and the third-place Cougars (18-6, 10-4) to be ready for her team.

"It's going to be a great challenge for us," Keeley said. "We know both these teams very well. They're going to bring out the bands and a thousand fans to support their teams. But my team plays very well in that environment."

Though Keeley will have several seniors on the court at all times, she said Greenwood could make the difference down the stretch.

"Erin is a leader," the coach said. "She wants the leadership role. She's done a nice job stepping up in a couple of matches this year. She'll lead if somebody else falters."

Greenwood said she stumbled a bit upon entering college-level competition, but she agrees that her game has come a long way in just over a year.

"I've improved in every way," she said. "Just going from high school to Division I, the level of competition is so high, not only from other teams but within your own team. There's always somebody pushing you to get better."

Two wins this weekend would lift UNLV to its first league championship in team history.

"Others are beginning to take notice," Greenwood said. "That's what we wanted. And we want to become a powerhouse. I think we've finally taken that first step."

Win or lose this weekend, the Rebels will move on to play in the Mountain West tournament beginning Nov. 22 at Cox Pavilion. They appear to have their first NCAA Tournament bid locked up, but a conference tournament title would get them in automatically.

"I haven't even thought that far ahead," said Greenwood, whose team will travel to Utah for a 6 p.m. Friday match and to BYU for a 6 p.m. Saturday match. "But I'm absolutely excited for it. It's something I've wanted since I was in high school."