Sept. 17, 2012
UVU Match Notes
Complete Great West Conference Release
OREM, Utah -- The Utah Valley University volleyball team will look for its fifth consecutive victory Tuesday when it travels to Cedar City to take on in-state rival Southern Utah. The contest will begin at 7 p.m. at SUU's Centrum Arena.
Live stats will be available by visiting suutbirds.com and live video can be found at bigskytv.org.
The Wolverines (6-4) have won four straight matches and defeated both Nevada and Cal Poly in four sets last Friday at the Utah Classic in Salt Lake City. UVU has also defeated Fresno State and Sacramento State during the streak.
UVU junior setter Brookelyn Hall was named the Great West Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after she made her third all-tournament team of the young season and helped the Wolverines go a perfect 2-0 record. The reigning GWC Setter of the Year filled out the stat sheet all weekend long as she recorded 90 assists (11.25 assist/set average), 14 kills (.414 attack percentage), three service aces, 18 digs (2.25 dig/set average) and six block assists. The junior from Gilbert, Ariz., also put up UVU's first triple-double of the season against Cal Poly as she recorded 45 assists, 14 digs and 10 kills.
Wolverine senior middle blocker Erica Nish joined Hall on the Utah Classic All-Tournament Team after she tallied 17 kills, six block assists and a solo block, and four service aces against the Wolf Pack and Mustangs last Friday.
UVU sophomore outside hitter McKenna Tait leads the Wolverines in kills on the year with 92 and a 2.42 kill per set average, while freshman middle blocker Lauren Stringham is tops on the squad in blocks with 46 block assists and eight solos. She also averages 1.42 blocks per set.
Fourteenth year head coach Sam Atoa picked up his 300th career victory at Utah Valley against the Wolf Pack last Friday and currently holds a 301-139 mark.
About Southern Utah
Southern Utah is 4-8 overall and off to a 1-1 start in its first season of play in the Big Sky Conference. The Thunderbirds were selected to finish ninth in the Big Sky Preseason Poll and have victories over Weber State, Kennesaw State, Savannah State and UNC Asheville on the season.
Analaine Mailoto leads the T-Birds offensively with 147 kills and a 3.67 kill per set average. At the net, SUU is led by Cashaana Renfro and her five solo blocks and 27 block assists.
Tuesday's meeting between UVU and SUU will be the sixth all-time meeting between the two (since SUU revived its women's volleyball program in 2009) with the Wolverines holding a perfect 5-0 record against the T-Birds. The contest will also be Utah Valley's sixth of 12 straight away from home.
Up Next for the Wolverines
Following Tuesday's match, the Wolverines will travel to Bakersfield, Calif. on Sept. 21-22 to take part in the Roadrunner Classic. There, UVU will face Maryland Eastern Shore on Friday at 1:30 p.m. (MT) and CSU Bakersfield Saturday at 8:00 p.m. (MT).
