Coach, senior class have Rebels driving in new direction
Just four years ago, UNLV's volleyball team was little more than an also-ran in the Mountain West Conference.
The Rebels were finishing their seventh losing season in eight years and didn't appear to have much hope for the future.
But a new coach and a then-incoming freshman class started the wheels in motion for a turnaround.
Today, the Rebels will appear in their first NCAA Tournament. UNLV (24-5) faces Long Beach State (25-6) at 5 p.m. at Southern California's Galen Center.
The host Trojans (25-4), the top seed at the site and the No. 5 overall seed, meet Pepperdine (18-10) at 7 p.m. The two winners return at 7 p.m. Saturday to meet for a spot in the Sweet 16 in Gainesville, Fla.
"One of my goals was to make it to the NCAA Tournament, but where we were and what we were doing, it wasn't a realistic goal at the time," UNLV senior outside hitter Brittani Lumsden said. "It was more along the lines of striving to be the best we could in the conference."
Lumsden, outside hitter Maria Aladjova, middle blocker Lauren Miramontes and libero Jada Walker constitute the most successful senior class in UNLV's history.
The quartet has led the Rebels to a 74-42 mark and the program's first MWC tournament title. Two weeks ago, UNLV made its first appearance in the top 25 of a national poll.
"We call ourselves the 'Fantastic Four,' " Walker said. "It's just good to know that we did it our senior year together. We're going to have a banner in the gym, and we'll always know we did it."
How fantastic are the four?
Aladjova holds the school record for career kills and attempts. Miramontes holds the school marks in solo and assisted blocks. Walker leads in matches and games played and digs. Lumsden is in the top 10 in kills, aces and digs.
Miramontes actually joined the team in 2003 but played in portions of five matches before an injury ended her season.
The remainder of the senior class came in for the 2004 season, joining coach Allison Keeley in her first year.
"We had a great core group," said Keeley, who came to UNLV from Villanova. "We had a key person at each position and the following year added Melody (Nua), Erin (Greenwood) and Camille (Cunningham). We have the four seniors and a group of seven who really make us what we are."
The Rebels have had a winning conference record each of the past four years. Before the seniors' arrival, only the 1998 Rebels had more wins than losses in conference play.
UNLV hit the 20-win mark for just the third time in school history last year, then set the school record for wins in a season this year.
"Luckily, we had a group of four of us who all had the same goal, and we all excelled," Walker said.
The group has taken the Rebels somewhere the team has never been and is hoping to make the trip last.
"It's such a great feeling of accomplishment," Lumsden said. "You work your butt off every day for the last four years, and to go out like this, it's an amazing experience."
UNLV SportsStory Index
THE TEAMS UNLV -- The Rebels (24-5) are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance. Lauren Miramontes, a senior middle blocker and the national player of the week last week, leads the team with 502 kills, including 64 in her last two matches, and 130 blocks. Maria Aladjova, a senior outside hitter, has 452 kills. Melody Nua, a junior setter, is the team's engine with 1,386 assists. Senior libero Jada Walker has a team-best 604 digs. LONG BEACH STATE -- The 49ers (25-6) are making their 21st consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, after finishing the season with 23 wins in their last 25 matches, including a five-game win over No. 8-ranked Florida last weekend. Senior Alexis Crimes leads the team with 475 kills and 138 blocks. Long Beach has four players with at least 299 kills and is big in the middle with Crimes (6 feet 3 inches) and Michaela Hasalikova (6-5 senior). Nicole Vargas, a junior, has 1,270 assists. Crimes and UNLV's Walker are close friends and talk daily, giving each player advance knowledge of the other team's strengths. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA -- The Trojans (25-4) have won six national championships in 24 NCAA appearances and are the No. 5 overall seed in the tournament. USC's four losses all came in Pac-10 Conference play. Asia Kaczor, a 6-4 senior outside hitter, has a team-best 534 kills. No one else has more than 261, but eight players have at least 100. Sophomore setter Taylor Carico has 1,323 assists. Bethany Johansen, a 6-4 senior, leads a good and balanced defense with 110 blocks. USC has six players with at least 200 digs. PEPPERDINE -- The Waves (18-10) are making their 19th NCAA appearance and 10th in the last 11 years after finishing third in the West Coast Conference. Junior outside hitter Julie Rubenstein leads a balanced offense with 465 kills and leads the defense with 323 digs. Lecca Roberts, a senior middle blocker, has 293 kills and a team-best 101 blocks. Rachel Lumsden, a sophomore outside hitter and the younger sister of UNLV's Brittani Lumsden, has 243 kills and 225 digs. Kiah Fiers, a sophomore setter, has 1,269 assists. The Waves lost three of their final four matches in the regular season. REVIEW-JOURNAL
