UNLV volleyball fends off Cowgirls

The UNLV volleyball team took sole possession of first place in the Mountain West Conference by beating Wyoming 31-29, 30-24, 26-30, 30-26 on Saturday in Laramie, Wyo.

Maria Aladjova and Lauren Miramontes had 22 kills apiece for the Rebels (19-3, 10-2 MWC), who took a half-game lead in the standings over 20th-ranked Colorado State, which is off this weekend.

Melody Nua had 57 assists for UNLV, and Jada Walker had 24 digs.

Miramontes also had seven blocks.

Angie Hellbaum had 22 kills to lead the Cowgirls (11-12, 5-9).

• MEN’S SOCCER — UNLV stunned No. 21 New Mexico 2-1 in double overtime at Johann Memorial Field.

Nicholas Paterson netted the winning goal in the 108th minute for the Rebels, off an assist from Stephen Sifuentes.

The Lobos (9-4-1, 4-1-1 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) opened the scoring early, with Simon Ejdemyr getting a goal in the second minute.

The Rebels (6-7-2, 2-4) countered on Lamar Neagle’s eighth goal of the year, in the 31st minute, and defense took over the rest of the way until Paterson broke through.

UNLV goalkeeper Calvin Bailey finished with six saves.

• MEN’S TENNIS — UNLV’s Luca Barlocchi beat Tennessee’s Davey Sendgren 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 in the semifinals of the Rebel Classic at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.

Barlocchi will face another Volunteer in the final, meeting Boris Conkic, who beat top seed Elliot Wronski of UNLV, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1.

Wronski teamed with Wesley Burrows to beat Fresno State’s Flavio Mollinedo and Siddharth Alapati 8-5 in the doubles quarterfinals. Wronski and Burrows then won by default over teammates Matt Kunkel and Bryan Miller to reach the final.

Wronski and Burrows will face Conkic and Sandgren at 9 a.m. today, with the singles final to follow.