LAS CRUCES, N.M. — The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) Miners began the 2026 women’s volleyball season with a challenging matchup against the reigning American Athletic Conference champions, Tulsa. Despite taking an early 2‑1 lead, the Miners fell 3‑2 on Saturday afternoon at the Pan American Center.
Match summary
UTEP dropped the first set narrowly, 26‑24, but rebounded with back‑to‑back 25‑18 victories to seize control of the match. Tulsa responded in the fourth set, pulling away for a 25‑20 win, and then dominated the decisive fifth set 15‑7 to secure the season‑opening victory.
This was UTEP’s first five‑set match since the 2024 season, when the Miners faced Oklahoma in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Individual performances
Three Miners posted double‑digit kills: Oguntimehin led with 15, Perry added 14, and Mackenzi Davis contributed 12. Oguntimehin also posted the highest hitting percentage at .458 and finished with a team‑high 16.5 points.
At the net, UTEP recorded 11 total blocks compared to Tulsa’s seven, with Crowe leading the Miners with eight blocks, including two solo blocks. Setter Shea Bruntmyer and libero Lily‑Rose Pichon combined for 47 assists, while Bruntmyer and Perry each tallied two service aces. Defensively, Pichon and Perry each logged 16 digs, and Kohler added 10.
Overall, UTEP out‑performed Tulsa in kills (61‑58) and blocks (11‑7) and posted a .233 hitting percentage versus Tulsa’s .173.
Coaching perspective
Head coach Ben Wallis said the match demonstrated that the Miners have the talent to compete, but Tulsa’s experience ultimately made the difference. “I learned that we have a lot of weapons,” Wallis said. “We’re physical and dangerous at times, and we have the components of being a good team.” He added, “Unfortunately, Tulsa is a conference champion for a reason. They responded to us pushing them around in the second and third sets by playing more physically and doing some tactical things that slowed us down.”
Looking ahead
The loss drops UTEP to 0‑1 on the season and 27‑26 all‑time in season openers. The Miners are now 4‑4 in season openers during the Wallis era. UTEP will return to Club Memorial on Sunday, Aug. 30, at 6 p.m. for a sold‑out matchup against I‑10 rival New Mexico State, which will be streamed live on MW+.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
