EDINBURG, Texas – Three Utah Valley University volleyball players topped double figures in kills as UVU went on to defeat UT Rio Grande Valley three sets to one in WAC volleyball action on Saturday afternoon at the UTRGV Fieldhouse (25-23, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23).
 
Freshman Abby Jensen led the way for the Wolverines (9-10, 5-2 WAC) with 16 kills and a .297 attack percentage, while senior Lauren Bakker and sophomore Lexi Thompson each recorded 10 kills apiece. Bakker also paced UVU defensively at the net in the contest with a match-high eight blocks while Thompson chipped in six digs, two blocks, and a pair of aces.
 
As a team, Utah Valley outhit (.191-.161), outblocked (10-8) and outserved (8-7) the Vaqueros (8-13, 1-6 WAC) in the contest. 
 
In a tightly contested opening set, UTRGV took an 18-15 lead following three straight points. With the Vaqueros later holding to their three-point advantage, at 20-17, UVU made its move by scoring seven of the next eight points to take a 24-21 set-point advantage. Following back-to-back points from UT Rio Grande Valley, the Wolverines put the first set away thanks to a Vaquero service error.
 
With the second frame all knotted up at 17-all, UVU pieced together a late 3-0 spurt to take a 20-17 advantage. The Wolverines maintained their lead from there as they went on to take a two sets to none advantage with a 25-21 second-set victory. Jensen paced the UVU attack in the frame with six kills while Bakker added two kills and a block.
 
UTRGV held the upper hand in the third frame as it jumped out to a quick 10-5 lead. The Vaqueros later extended their advantage to seven points, at 17-10, following three straight points. UVU then reeled off a 10-4 run to pull within one, at 21-20, but that was as close as the Wolverines would make it as UTRGV went on to pull out the third game by a score of 25-22.
 
With the Wolverines trailing by a score of 13-9 in the fourth set, UVU pieced together a 6-0 run to take a 15-13 lead of its own. The set then remained tight from there until the Wolverines reeled off a trio of consecutive points to take a late 23-20 advantage. UTRGV answered right back, however, with three straight points of its own to tie it up at 23-all. But Bakker came through in the clutch for UVU with a pair of back-to-back kills to put the match away.

"You've got to hand it to UTRGV, they played well today," said head coach Sam Atoa. "We found ourselves in some challenging situations and I'm proud of the girls for being able to play well down the stretch to get out of them." 
 
Sophomore Sierra Starley and freshman Sabrina Tanner too played well for the Wolverines in the contest, as Starley recorded a match-high 37 assists and three service aces while Tanner chipped in a season-high 22 digs and three aces of her own.
 
With the victory, Utah Valley improves to 26-1 all-time against the Vaqueros. The Wolverines also remain in a tie for second place in the WAC standings with a 5-2 league clip.
 
The Wolverines will now return home to begin their second half of the conference season next week against Missouri-Kansas City and Chicago State. UVU will first welcome UMKC to the PE Building on Thursday (Oct. 22) before taking on CSU on next Saturday (Oct. 24).