Sept. 15, 2009

Week 4 Notes

OREM, Utah - The Utah Valley University volleyball team will play the first of three consecutive matches Wednesday night when it hosts No. 12 Oregon at 7 p.m. at the Shurian Family Activity Center.

"Back-to-back-to-back matches is going to be a huge challenge," UVU volleyball coach Sam Atoa said.

After the match with the Ducks, the Wolverines (5-4) will travel to Boise for a Thursday match with the Broncos (0-9). They return home Friday to open Great West Conference play against Chicago State (0-9) beginning at 7 p.m.

The match with the Ducks marks the third time in three weeks that the Wolverines will play host to a ranked team. UVU beat then No. 17 Utah, 3-1, two weeks ago, and then lost back-to-back matches with No. 15 USC last week.

Atoa is encouraged by the way his team has played against some of the nation's elite teams.

"I'm excited about Oregon especially after the way we have played these top teams at home," he said. "Being at home has helped the girls to be able to respond to the challenges we have had."

Oregon leads the all-time series 1-0, having beaten Utah Valley last year, 3-0, in the Jayhawk Invitational in Lawrence, Kansas.

The Wolverines are 4-1 all-time against the Broncos, who beat the Wolverines, 3-2, last season in Boise.

Utah Valley opens league play with Chicago State and the Wolverines are 2-0 all-time against the Cougars.

Utah Valley was selected unanimously by the league's coaches as the preseason favorite to win the league.

"We are excited about being in a conference for the first time," Atoa said. "We hope to be able to prepare ourselves for each of the conference matches because conference matches are the most important for us."

PROMOTION RESIDENT BATTLE NIGHT

The UVU apartment complex that brings the most tenants to the match wins a FREE pizza party with the UVU Volleyball team!

Each tenant = 1 point for your complex. Each tenant who is a MAWL member = 10 points for your complex! You must check in at the table outside the main entrance.

MAWL memberships will also be on sale at the table