Match Notes | Live Video vs. GCU | Live Stats vs. GCU | Live Video vs. CSUB | Live Stats vs. CSUB

OREM, Utah – The Utah Valley University volleyball team will return to conference play this weekend when it welcomes Grand Canyon and Bakersfield to town. The Wolverines will host GCU on Thursday at 7 p.m. and CSUB on Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
Live stats and video will be available for both matches by visiting WolverineGreen.com. Saturday's match will also be shown live on the WAC Digital Network.
 
The matches will mark UVU's second and third of the week as it previously hosted Weber State on Tuesday night. Utah Valley dropped the in-state contest in four sets by a score of 22-25, 28-26, 25-18, 25-17. Freshman Madison Wolford and sophomore Kiahna Steiner paced the Wolverines in the contest offensively with eight kills apiece, while junior Lauren Bakker led the way at the net with six blocks.
 
"We're looking forward to getting back on the court this weekend," UVU head coach Sam Atoa said. "We didn't play particularly well against Weber State, but we've got another chance to practice and prepare ourselves for Grand Canyon. We should have a better showing if we can continue to focus and work hard."
 
The Wolverines are 8-12 overall on the campaign and currently tied for third in the Western Athletic Conference with a 3-2 conference clip. Prior to falling to the Wildcats in non-conference action on Tuesday evening, UVU split a pair of league matches on the road last week. The Wolverines dropped a four-set contest at Missouri-Kansas City before sweeping Chicago State in the Windy City.  
 
Bakker leads UVU on the season in kills (2.76 per set average), blocks (1.12) and attack percentage (.349). Her .349 hitting percentage is also tops in the league, while her running mate senior McKenna Tait leads the WAC in service aces and ranks 12th nationally in the same category with an average of 0.53 aces per set.
 
About Grand Canyon
The Antelopes are 12-7 on the season and 2-4 in WAC play after falling to Bakersfield in straight sets in California last Saturday. GCU has picked up both of its conference victories over Chicago State so far on the year and also holds victories over Prairie View A&M, Texas Southern, New Orleans, Montana State, Canisius, Albany, UC Riverside, UMass Lowell, San Jose State and South Dakota State. The Lopes were picked to finish sixth in the WAC this season.
 
Shannon Dugan and Natalie Tardy lead the Antelopes offensively with respective kill per set averages of 3.50 and 3.38. Hannah Hicks tops the squad in blocks (0.86) while Mackenzie Phelps leads the Lopes in digs (5.14). 
 
Thursday's match will mark just the third all-time meeting between UVU and GCU. The Wolverines hold a perfect 2-0 advantage after winning both contests a year ago.
 
About Bakersfield
CSUB will enter the weekend 7-11 on the year overall and tied with UVU for third place in the conference standings with a 3-2 record. Bakersfield swept GCU at home last weekend and will face Seattle U on the road prior to traveling to Orem. The Roadrunners were picked to finish fifth in the WAC this season.
 
Danika Youngblood paces the 'Runners offensively with an average of 3.59 kills per set while Molly O'Hagan leads the way in blocks (0.91) and attack percentage (.315).
 
Saturday's meeting between the Wolverines and Roadrunners will be the 12th all-time contest. UVU holds a 7-4 advantage in the series, but dropped both matches to the 'Runners in 2013.
 
Up Next for the Wolverines
Following this weekend's action, UVU will step out of conference play once again for a midweek contest at Southern Utah on Tuesday (Oct. 21). The Wolverines will then travel to Seattle for a date against the Seattle U Redhawks next Saturday afternoon (Oct. 25).