After a hard-fought battle the Wolverines fell to #22 Utah in three sets 23-25, 17-25, 24-26 to go 0-3 in the tournament.
Although the score does not reflect a very close game with a 3-0 Utah win; the stats tell another story. The Utes narrowly lead the Wolverines in kills (41-35), digs (40-36), and blocks (6-7) reflecting a more competitive game, the two sides also tied in service aces having two apiece.
The first set was action-packed consisting of thirteen ties and six lead changes. Neither side could maintain the lead with a constant back-and-forth battle. The Wolverines found themselves in a good spot to win the set with a 22-21 lead but could not execute to finish things off, ultimately dropping the set 25-23.
The second set was less competitive as the Utes were able to start with a 3-0 run early on and were also able to tack on a 5-0 run to give them a 15-7 lead, which they were able to ride out for the rest of the set.
The final set was competitive once again with both sides putting together runs to either extend or diminish the lead. Throughout the set there were three ties and only one lead change in which the Utes took early on and never forfeited. The Wolverines found themselves in a position to potentially take a set late in the match with a 24-24 tie but could not execute, ultimately losing the set 24-26.
UVU’s Abbie Miller and Natalie Palmer led the team and match in aces with two and junior Bryton Nixon led the match in digs with fifteen. Tori Dorius led the Wolverines offensively with nine kills.
The Wolverines look to claim their first victory of the season in their next match against Cal Poly on Monday, Aug. 29. The match tips off at 6 p.m. MT.
For a full team schedule and information, visit gouvu.com.
