UVU Match Notes | Live Video | Live Stats vs. NM State | Live Stats vs. UTPA
OREM, Utah – Just days removed from opening conference play with a five-set win over Seattle U, Utah Valley University will continue its homestand against the defending Western Athletic Conference Champion New Mexico State Aggies on Thursday at 7 p.m. The Wolverines will then close the week by welcoming Texas-Pan American to the PE Building on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Live stats and live video will be available for both matches by visiting WolverineGreen.com.
UVU (6-9, 1-0 WAC) will enter Thursday's showdown with the first-place Aggies on a three-match winning streak. The Wolverines defeated both UC Riverside and Portland in five sets at the La Quinta Inn & Suites Invitational two weeks ago before topping Seattle U in the conference opener in five sets once again last Saturday. Senior Kalani Norris led UVU against the Redhawks with a season-high 15 kills while sophomore Macky Treanor chipped in 11 more as well as a solid .360 hitting percentage.
Both the Wolverines and Redhawks split the first four sets, setting up the decisive fifth frame in the contest. Utah Valley stormed out to an early 8-2 lead in the final set thanks to a trio of Treanor kills, and managed to hold off a late Seattle U run as it held on the take the final set by a score of 15-12.
Junior Lauren Bakker leads the Wolverines on the season in kills and blocks with respective averages of 2.71 and 1.10 while freshman Madison Wolford paces the squad in attack percentage with a .356 clip. Senior McKenna Tait is tops in the team in digs (4.61 per set average) and aces (0.52), and her ace per set average not only leads the WAC but also ranks her 14th nationally.
About New Mexico State
The Aggies are 8-5 on the season and 2-0 in WAC play after defeating both Grand Canyon and Bakersfield at home last week. NM State took care of the Antelopes in straight sets prior to defeating the Roadrunners in the full five sets on Saturday. NMSU not only won the regular season championship in the WAC last season with a 14-2 clip but also made the NCAA Tournament after winning the WAC Tournament Championship as well. The Aggies were once again picked to win the conference this season as well.
Bradley Nash paces New Mexico State in kills with a 2.47 per set average while her running mate Gwen Murphy leads the way in attack percentage (.306) and blocks (1.13).
Thursday's showdown will mark just the third all-time meeting between the two teams. UVU swept the Aggies in Orem a year ago while NM State returned the favor in Las Cruces in the final match of the 2013 regular season.
About Texas-Pan American
The Broncs will enter the weekend with a 3-12 overall record and a 1-1 conference clip. UTPA opened league play with a four-set loss to Bakersfield but followed that up with a five-set win over Grand Canyon last Saturday. Texas-Pan American took eighth in the WAC last season with a 2-14 conference clip and was picked to finish seventh this year.
Preseason all-conference selection Haley Durham leads the Broncs in kills and blocks with respective averages of 2.75 and 1.07 while Maria Kliefoth tops the squad in hitting percentage (.301). Alisha Watson is the reigning WAC Player of the Week after averaging 3.11 kills, 3.00 digs and 0.89 aces last week.
Saturday's match will mark the 25th all-time meeting between the former Great West Conference foes. UVU will enter Saturday's contest with a commanding 23-1 advantage in the series.
Up Next for the Wolverines
Utah Valley will hit the road for a pair of conference contests in the Midwest next week. The Wolverines will face Missouri-Kansas City on Oct. 9 before traveling to the Windy City to face Chicago State on Oct. 11. UVU will then return home to host in-state rival Weber State on Oct. 14.
PROMOTIONS
Thursday's contest against New Mexico State will be the Pink Match for the Wolverines. Spectators that wear pink will get in free into the match for free. The first 200 fans will also receive free pink t-shirts as well.
