Seniors shine in a five set victory against Utah Tech
Utah Valley got a much needed final win against Utah Tech in a five set thriller 3-2 (25-20, 25-22, 25-22, 25-15, 15-11) ending their regular season with a 11-16 overall record and finishing with an even 8-8 in conference play.
As has been the case for most of the season the seniors were the deciding factor in their final home game of their illustrious careers. As has become commonplace, Tori Ellis led the team in kills and Abby Medeiros leading the team in assists and moved to fourth all time assists.
This game was as close as they come, with both sides trading sets the entire game.
The first set showed why the heart and soul of this team is their seniors, with Ellis, Caleigh Vagana, and Hailey Cuff giving the Wolverines a substantial lead in the first set and not allowing the Bison to get back into the game. With this lead proving too much for them as Vagana would seal the set 25-20.
As would be the case this entire game, the team which lost the proceeding set would come roaring back, with the Bison starting off the second set with a monster 8-0 run, a run that would prove to be too much for the Wolverines, even as they would go on a couple runs of their own, errors in critical moments would hamper the comeback effort, as the Wolverines would drop the critical second set 25-22.
UVU would open the third set on a 5-1 run, led by Vittoria Price and Ellis who would lead the Wolverines in another close set, with both teams having both excellent scoring runs, and crippling errors, as a 19-13 UVU lead would dwindle to 20-19.
Fortunately the seniors would come up big, with kills by Cuff and Medeiros closing out the pivotal third set 25-22.
However, when the Wolverines had the chance they could not close Senior Day out, as the fourth set was a complete steamroll by the Bison, as multiple large runs would fail to give UVU even a chance at taking this set, with a 7-0 run giving way to 25-15 victory.
The final set showed what this team was made of, as a tough fourth set gave way to a rough fifth set, as the game came down to a final fifteen points, the pursuit of which the Wolverines had fallen behind in. Fortunately, UVU had some fight in them, as Ellis and Avery Shewell would bring them back in the lead, a lead they would hold as a tight set gave way to a 15-11 set victory.
The Wolverines won a gritty final regular season game, as the seniors would shine in a pivotal WAC game. These seniors will be surely missed, and will be able to play in the WAC tournament, starting this Thursday, Nov. 17 at theLockhart Arena.
The tournament will be broadcast on ESPN+
