The Utah Valley Volleyball team fell to Cal Baptist 3-1 (25-20, 25-17, 21-25, 25-22) moving to 7-14 on the season and 4-6 in conference play.
UVU suffered a 1-3 loss earlier this week to Grand Canyon, which moved Utah Valley to seventh in WAC standings.
Utah Valley started the match off hot jumping to a quick 5-2 lead, but Cal Baptist answered with a run of their own.
This led to a back-and-forth set giving way to a Wolverine lead halfway in due to a couple of timely kills. Despite being down, UVU looked good. Being able to get solid attacking opportunities early and capitalizing on CBU mistakes. Another 3-0 run brought the lead to 19-16, and UVU was able to ride that momentum to a first set victory capped off by a Hailey Cuff kill. The set ended at a score of 25-20.
Unfortunately, that would be the last set the Wolverines would win. Utah Valley started off slow, immediately going down 3-0, and from there it was all Lancers.
CBU would jump out to a commanding 15-5 lead, thanks to the dominant Michalina Rola who ended the game with 18 kills.
That lead proved to be insurmountable. The Wolverines couldn’t get anything going on either side of the game, with any encouraging attacking opportunity was stuffed at the net.
A late run by the Wolverines would bring the score closer, but it was too little too late as the Lancers were able to close out the set 25-17.
CBU would carry this momentum into the third set, once again jumping out to a quick lead, but a mid set 4-0 run by the Wolverines would give them a cushion at 12-10.
It was a close set from there, with no team able to find a rally of their own until late in the set when Cal Baptist was able to find their footing. CBU would go on one of their biggest runs of the night, taking the lead back and extending it to 22-18.
An overturned call in favor of UVU and an error by CBU brought the match to within two, but UVU was unable to close the set out, with two straight kills by the Lancers shutting the door on the Wolverines, and ending the set 25-21.
The final set was the closest of the four, with UVU once again holding a lead early. Utah Valley would go up 14-10, but another long run by the Lancers would bring them right back in the set. It was a neck and neck set on the back half, with both teams being tied at 21, but the Lancers would close the game out with a 4-1 run that would put the Wolverines away for good at 25-22.
For the second time in three nights UVU has lost a key WAC game that was absolutely winnable. Holding leads has been a major issue with many of Utah Valley’s losses, so plugging up those holes, and being able to close out sets is an absolute must.
UVU will hope to right the ship at home this Thursday Oct. 26 against Abilene Christian. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
