The Miner Rundown with Zay Galindo keeps you updated with UTEP athletics every week.

It was an action-packed weekend for UTEP athletics, with multiple Miner teams kicking off their seasons on the road.

From football’s road struggles to volleyball’s impressive performance, here’s everything that happened this week in UTEP sports.

Football Falls to Utah State in Season Opener

In a highly anticipated season opener, head coach Scotty Walden and his squad fell to Utah State on the road, 28-16.

The Miners took an early 7-3 lead after a 34-yard touchdown pass from Malachi Nelson to Kenny Odom, which was the only lead of the game for the Miners. Utah State’s Miles Davis answered with a controversial 58-yard rushing touchdown four minutes later, sparking 17 unanswered points for the Aggies. The 5’11 senior broke contain, raced down the sideline, and reached the endzone.

Trailing 20-7, UTEP’s offense found some momentum in the two-minute drill, including a critical 4th-and-short conversion at their own 35. They drove to the Aggies’ 24, where Carlos Arreola kicked a 42-yard field goal to close the half.

After halftime, the Miners moved into Aggie territory but the drive stalled, leading to a punt. Utah State capitalized with another touchdown, extending their lead to 28-10. UTEP’s defense held firm from there, allowing no further points, but the offense struggled to mount a comeback, resulting in the 12-point loss.

This marks the Miners’ fourth consecutive season-opening defeat.

The team now looks ahead to their home opener against UT-Martin. It’s a chance for redemption for Walden, who lost his home opener last year to Southern Utah. The Skyhawks are coming off a 27-7 loss to Oklahoma State in week one.

Sekita Shines as Volleyball Claims Sac State Tournament Title

UTEP volleyball opened their season with a dominant 3-0 start at the Sacramento State Tournament, where Coach Ben Wallis and his Miners were crowned champions. New libero Fuka Sekita earned tournament MVP honors, recording 82 receptions (.927 PCT) and 37 digs (3.7 digs per set). Sekita has quickly eased concerns about replacing Alyssa Sianez, proving she’s the Miners’ new defensive anchor.

The Miners were nearly flawless, winning all but one set across three matches. They started with a sweep of defending Big Sky champions Sac State, led by Torrance Lovesee’s 14 kills at a scorching 52% efficiency. UTEP then dispatched Pepperdine in three sets, with Lovesee again starring with 11 kills and 17 total points.

In the final match, UTEP dropped a set to UC Davis but rallied to win three straight sets, securing the tournament title. Outside hitter Sara Pushtajia led the way with 13 kills, earning all-tournament honors alongside Lovesee. Setters Kalia Kohler and Mattie Gant, who were named Conference USA Co-Setters of the Week, combined for 44 assists in the match.

The Miners now prepare for the Southwest Showdown in Edinburg, Texas, as they'll face UTRGV, Texas State, and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi from September 4-6. UTEP hosted the tournament last year, going undefeated against these teams.

Soccer Shows Promise, Finishes Week 1-2

UTEP soccer went 1-2 last week but showed resilience, being outscored just 3-2 across three games. The week began with a hard-fought 2-1 loss at Cal State Fullerton, followed by home matches against Tarleton State and Stephen F. Austin.

Against Tarleton State, Ashlyn Neireiter’s header in the 69th minute secured a 1-0 victory, marking UTEP’s third shutout of the season. The Miners dominated statistically, outshooting the Texans 18-6.

Days later, UTEP outshot Stephen F. Austin by a staggering 26-6. That wasn’t enough, unfortunately, as the Miners just couldn’t find the back of the net. The Lumberjacks carried a goal in the second minute to the end to beat UTEP on the road, 1-0.

Defense is the calling card of this UTEP team, and despite the 2-3-1 record, the Miners have been in every game. They need to capitalize much better, and they’ll have the chance to do that against Idaho and Boise State this week in the ‘Gem State’ for the second road trip of the year.