The UTEP volleyball team has managed to do something this year that in its own way is just as difficult as the breakthrough seasons it built into the program's golden age.

As they prepare to host Liberty this weekend at Memorial Gym with a 12-2 record, sitting atop Conference USA (along with Liberty) heading into their home conference opener, the Miners have lived up to immense expectations.

And they've done it with a storm of injuries that has three players, including last year's kills leader , out for the year.

Through it, UTEP has kept marching at a pace ahead of last year's, which ended in the program's first bid to the NCAA tournament. Volleyball bracketologys generally have UTEP looking at a 6 or 7 seed this year, including speculation it could host an NCAA regional.

Both of

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