Sept. 17, 2009
BOISE - After dropping the first set to Boise State Thursday night, the Utah Valley University volleyball team fought back and won the next three in beating the Broncos 23-25, 27-25, 25-16, 25-18 to improve to 6-5 on the season.
Senior Kayli Broadbent led the Wolverines with 16 kills, while Chelsey Garfield added 12. Camie Manwill finished with seven kills and Sarah Clement and Faith Tusieseina had six each.
Allyce Jones tallied a team-high 19 digs. Chelsea Fa'alogo finished with a double-double with 12 digs and 43 assists in addition to four kills.
"I thought we were aggressive with our serves and took them out of their system and they weren't able to establish their offense like they would have liked," UVU volleyball coach Sam Atoa said. "It was a tough match and our girls were composed and played well."
He was particularly pleased with the play of Garfield and Tusieseina.
"Garfield came off the bench and contributed greatly to our success," Atoa said. "I thought Faith did a nice job in being able to hit on the right side."
In the first set, the teams were tied at 8-8 before Boise State (0-10) scored nine of the next 11 points to take a commanding 17-10 lead. The Wolverines, however, rallied back behind seven straight service points by Manwill to tie the score at 22-22, but they couldn't break through. The Broncos scored two of the next three points to take the set.
Utah Valley led for a good portion of the second set before Boise State took the lead at 21-20. Utah Valley fought off two set points at 24-24 and 25-24 before a kill by Fa'alogo tied the set at 25-25. The Wolverines eventually won the set on two attack errors by Boise State.
Broadbent served the first four points of the third set and the Wolverines never trailed in winning the set 25-16. UVU led by as many as eight in the set.
Jones reeled off seven straight service points early in the fourth and final set. After Jones' barrage the Wolverines led 10-2. Boise pulled to within three at 21-18 following a UVU service error. The Wolverines closed out the set and match with a kill by Tusieseina, a Boise error and consecutive kills by Clement and Tusieseina.
""It (the slow start) was similar to Idaho State," Atoa said. "I was proud that the girls battled back."
Utah Valley is back in action tonight when it opens Great West Conference action with Chicago State (0-9). The match is set to begin at 7 p.m. at the Shurian Family Activity Center.
