Kenzie Jones, Sports Editor, @KenzieScribbler
In a four set match on Saturday afternoon the Utah Valley Wolverines knocked off first-place Missouri-Kansas City. After four players tallied nine or more kill for UVU the final set scores became 25-19, 19-25, 25-17, 25-14. The loss marked UMKC’s second in their last 20 matches.
The Roo’s were the first team to break through in the opening set as they took a 11-14 lead following three consecutive points. Macky Treanor lead the counter attack with back-to-back aces enabling the Wolverines to score four unanswered points of their own and to flip the advantage in their favor at 15-14. The frame latter became tied at 18-all and Utah Valley managed to put it away by six points thanks to a 7-1 run.
The second showed UMKC getting things going as they opened up an early 5-11 lead. Later the Wolverines were able to pull within two at 12-10 following a 4-0 spurt. That would be as close as UVU would managed for the frame as the Roo’s evened the match out with one set apiece.
UVU looked strong as they set foot back on the court after the intermission break. They took a quick 9-1 lead to start out the third. Later the Wolverines held a 21-12 advantage when Kansas City pieced together five strait points to bring the score to 21-17. The home team retaliated with four unanswered points of their to keep the Kanagroos at 17 and take the frame by eight.
The fourth and final set of the match showed Utah Valley continuing to hold the upper hand as they jumped out to a 9-2 advantage. Treanor led the spurt with three kills while senior MeKenna Tait added a pair of aces. From there it was smooth sailing as the Wolverines easily held their advantaged and cruised to a set and match victory.
This season’s stand out sophomore, Treanor, led the Wolverine attack with 18 kills. While local freshman Madison Wolford, coming to the program from Pleasant Grove High, add 11 of her own. Upper classmen Kalani Norris and Lauren Bakker each chipped in nine apiece. Two players notched double-doubles in the contest as Treanor added 10 digs and Sierra Starley put up a match-high 24 assists and 10 digs.
Bakker became the program’s all-time leader in career total blocks late in the fourth set when her total for the afternoon struck eight. Now holding the the all0time UVU mark with 428 total blocks, Bakker passed former Wolverine great Jessica Endres’s (2004-07) previous record of 426. The Kaysville, Utah native will enter Monday’s contest on the verge of setting another recored as she sits two block assists shy of becoming the school’s all-time leader in that category.
The Utah Valley will close out their home season on Monday night at 7:00p.m. where they face off against in state rivals Utah State. The non-conference contest will mark Senior Night for the lady Wolverines where five seniors will be honored prior to the first serve.
