Aug. 29, 2009
OGDEN, Utah - After sweeping Weber State University 25-15, 25-17, 25-19 in the first match of the day Saturday at the Weber State Invitational, the Utah Valley University volleyball team followed it up with a 18-25, 25-13, 25-20, 25-23 victory over Utah State University to claim the tournament title.
UVU's Kayli Broadbent, Camie Manwill and Chelsea Fa'alogo recorded double-doubles in the Wolverines' second-ever victory over the Aggies.
"It was a battle all weekend and this match with Utah State was a battle," Utah Valley University volleyball coach Sam Atoa said. "We trusted in our abilities even after we lost that first set."
Broadbent, who named the tournament MVP, tallied 22 kills and 12 digs, while Manwill added 16 kills and 10 digs and Fa'alogo recorded 49 assists and 11 digs in leading the Wolverines, who are now 3-0 for the first time since being a four-year program.
"She (Broadbent) has been huge for us and brings a lot of emotion and power and leadership," Atoa said. "We are going to need that throughout the season."
Broadbent finished the tournament with 57 kills (.360 hitting percentage), while Manwill added 45, and Fa'alogo tallied 132 assists. Allyce Jones had a team-high 58 digs.
Along with Broadbent, Manwill and Fa'alogo were named the all-tournament team and Jones was tabbed as the tournament's top libero.
The Aggies (1-2) took the first set, but the Wolverines (3-0) roared back to win the next three. The Wolverines won the second set convincingly, 25-13, to even the match at 1-1. UVU, which hit at .571 in the match led by as many as 11 points late in the match.
In the third match, however, the Wolverines trailed 16-10, but they went on a 15-4 run to end the set. In the run, the Wolverines got two kills from Jaicee Kuresa, who had five in the set, and two by Broadbent, who had six in the set, and one each from Dani Robison and Sarah Clement to complete the comeback.
In the final set in the match, the score was tied at 23-23 before the Wolverines took advantage of a Utah State attack error and a kill by Fa'alogo to win the set 25-23 and the match.
In the sweep of Weber State, Broadbent hit at .720 for the match, which is second best in school history, in leading the Wolverines to their first-ever victory over Weber State in Ogden.
She went 9-for-9 in kills in the first set and was 15-for-15 at one point midway through the second set. She finished the match at 19-for-25 in kill attempts, while Manwill added seven. Jones had a team-high 12 digs, while Fa'alogo recorded 38 assists. Kathleen Stevens had three service aces.
The Wolverines host the La Quinta Inn and Suites Invitational Friday, Sept. 4, and they open with Utah at 4:30 p.m. They will play Washington State and Missouri the following day.
