Nov. 22, 2008
OREM, Utah - The Utah Valley University women's volleyball team (13-12) remains undefeated after three matches in the 2008 NCAA Division I Independent Championship with a 3-1 win (25-15, 20-25, 25-21, 25-17) against NJIT (18-15) Saturday morning in the Shurian Family activity Center.
Only one match remains for the Wolverines as they face Cal State Bakersfield in the final match of the tournament at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Four UVU attackers recorded 10+ kills in the match led by sophomore outside hitter Kayli Broadbent with 12. Junior Kristin Anderson and freshmen Jaicee Kuresa and Faith Tusieseina all had 11 kills apiece. Anderson led the team with four blocks, and junior Allyce Wilson's 17 digs helped keep NJIT's attack percentage at .133. Broadbent was also only one dig away from recording a double-double.
The Wolverines hit .438 on their way to a 25-15 first set win. The team earned seven points in a row with sophomore defensive specialist Lanni O'Reilly at the service line, including two of Utah Valley's five service aces in the set. Broadbent had five kills in the set, and UVU held NJIT to a .241 attack percentage.
The Highlanders tied the match at a set apiece with a 25-20 second-set win. The Wolverines struggled offensively with nine attack errors in the set and only ten kills for an attack percentage of .026. NJIT hit .276 with 13 kills and five attack errors.
Utah Valley won the third set 25-21 after a fierce struggle. There were a total of 12 tied scores and five lead changes in the set. UVU was on the up side of the last lead change when they went up 22-21 and went on to win the next three points to close out the set. The Wolverines improved their attack recording 14 kills and only five errors in the set for a .237 attack percentage.
Defense was the key in the fourth set as the Wolverines recorded 4.5 total team blocks and held NJIT to a -.050 attack percentage in a 25-17 win. Six different UVU players recorded a block in the set with sophomore Dani Robison as the only Wolverine to record two.
The day began with a match between Texas-Pan American and Providence, which UTPA won in four sets. Cal State Bakersfield will face Providence next followed by UTPA vs. NJIT and the final match of the tournament featuring UVU and CSUB.
