OREM, Utah – The Utah Valley University volleyball team concluded the weekend with a four-set victory over Grand Canyon University on Saturday afternoon in the PE Building (25-12, 19-25, 25-15, 25-20). The win marks UVU's third in its last four matches, as it improves to 3-1 in Western Athletic Conference play with the victory.
 
Sophomore Lexi Thompson and freshman Abby Jensen led the way for the Wolverines (7-9), as they both topped double figures in kills with 14 and 12, respectively. The 14 kills are a new career-high for Thompson, while Jensen just missed notching a double-double by adding nine digs. Sophomore setter Sierra Starley too played well for UVU, finishing with a match-high 40 assists and 11 digs for her third double-double of the season. She also chipped in a career-best four service aces and three block assists.
 
"The girls did a great job," said head coach Sam Atoa. "We kind of lost sight and lost focus a little bit in that second set, but sometimes with those experiences we hope to learn certain things that will help us get better. And I felt like we responded really well late in the match."
 
The Wolverines wasted no time getting going in the opening set, as they scored the first six points of the match to take a quick 6-0 advantage. With the Lopes (2-13, 0-3 WAC) later trailing by just four at 11-7, UVU reeled off nine straight points -- which included a trio of aces from Starley -- to put the first set away.  
 
In a much tighter contested second set, the Antelopes were the first to pull ahead as they took a 13-8 advantage following back-to-back points from GCU. Utah Valley later pulled within three a couple of times down the stretch, but that was as close as the Wolverines would make it as the Lopes went on to take the second frame by a score of 25-19.
 
With the third set all squared up at 5-5, UVU pieced together a 6-0 run to take an 11-5 lead. The Wolverines would stretch their lead to as many as 11 later in the frame as they went on to take a 25-15 third-set victory. UVU committed just three attack errors in the frame, as they outhit the Lopes .387 to .029 in the third set.
 
With the Wolverines holding to a mere two-point advantage, at 12-10, in the fourth game, UVU picked up back-to-back block assists from senior Lauren Bakker and Starley and Bakker and Jensen to take extend its lead to 14-10. GCU later pulled to within three, at 23-20, but the Lopes would commit a pair of consecutive crucial errors to help the Wolverines seal the victory.
 
Bakker and sophomore Madison Dennison too had solid performances for UVU in the contest, as Bakker put up nine kills, eight digs and six blocks while Dennison added eight kills and five blocks.
 
 
As a team, the Wolverines recorded 6.5 more team blocks than the Antelopes (11.5 – 5.0) and a .240 attack percentage compared to just a .088 output from GCU.
 
The Wolverines will conclude their three-match conference homestand next Saturday, Oct. 10 against the Seattle U Redhawks. First serve for the WAC showdown is slated for 1 p.m.
 
"I was really proud of the girls this weekend," added Atoa. "We have struggled some in the past, but I was pleased that we were able to get back-to-back wins. Now we'll set our sights forward to our next opponent and work hard this next week in practice to prepare for Seattle U."