OREM, Utah - The Utah Valley State volleyball will travel to Missoula, Montana on Tuesday to match up against the University of Montana Grizzlies. The first serve is scheduled for 7:00 pm (MST) in Auxiliary Gym of the Adams Center.
Wolverine Update:
The Wolverines will enter Tuesday's match with a record of 0-1. UVSC dropped its season opener on September 1st at #24 University of Utah, 3-0 (23-30, 19-30, 16-30). The Wolverines were out-hit by the Utes .301 to .034 in the match and out-blocked 19.5 to 6.0.
Senior outside hitter Alina Wallauer had match-highs with 11 kills and 11 digs, and sophomore setter Lacee Koelliker had 27 assists. Freshman middle blocker Jessica Endres had seven kills and finished with team highs in both hitting percentage (.353) and blocks (four).
UVSC returns three players who received NCAA Division I Independent honors last year. They are outside hitters Alina Wallauer and Krystal Peterson, and setter Lacee Koelliker. Wallauer (173 K, 2.37 K/G) received two honors as she was named the D-I Independent -??Newcomer of the Year,-?? and to the All-Independent Second Team. Koelliker (379 A, 4.51 A/G) and Peterson (109 K, 1.85 K/G) were both named to the Independent All-Freshman Team.
Scouting the Opposition:
Montana competed last weekend at the Comcast New Mexico Lobo Invitational in Albuquerque and went winless to finish in fourth place out of the four competing teams. Creighton, New Mexico and Northern Colorado all finished with identical 2-1 marks, with Creighton winning the tournament by tiebreak.
All three of Montana's losses came in five games. Sophomore Claudia Houle earned all-tournament recognition at the New Mexico Invitational. The 5-10 outside hitter averaged 4.20 kills and 2.27 digs per game for Montana's three matches and hit .294.
Juniors Audrey Jensen and Diana Thompson and freshman Jackie White also played well at the tournament. Jensen ranked fourth among the teams in both hitting percentage (.310) and blocks (0.93 bpg), Thompson was fourth in assists (9.25 apg) and White finished fourth in digs (2.53 dpg).
Up Next:
The Wolverines will travel home and get ready for their home opener against the University of Central Florida on Friday, September 10th . First serve in the Activity Center is scheduled for 7:00 pm (MST).
