Utah Valley at Seattle U
Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015  |  12 p.m. MT/11 a.m. PT
Seattle, Wash.   |   Seattle Academy
WAC Digital Network   |   Live Stats   |   UVU Match Notes 
 

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WOLVERINES CONCLUDE ROAD STRETCH SATURDAY AT SEATTLE U
OREM, Utah – The Utah Valley University volleyball team will conclude its four-match road stretch at conference foe Seattle U in the Emerald City on Saturday. The key contest, which pits the third-place Wolverines against the fourth-place Redhawks, will now begin at noon MT/11 a.m. PT after being moved up to accommodate UVU's travel plans.
 
The Wolverines (13-11) will enter the match in third place in the WAC standings with an 8-3 record after dropping a tightly contested five-set battle at CSU Bakersfield last weekend. Despite having a five-match winning streak halted in the setback to the Roadrunners, UVU has still won five of its last six matches and eight of its last 10.
 
During its five-match winning streak, Utah Valley picked up wins over UT Rio Grande Valley, Missouri-Kansas City, Chicago State, Grand Canyon and Weber State. The Wolverines recorded two sweeps during the stretch as well as a trio of four-set victories.
 
In last weekend's five-game setback to CSUB, freshman Abby Jensen led the way for the Wolverines with a season-high 22 kills and a .400 attack percentage. Senior Lauren Bakker was next for UVU with 17 kills, a .500 hitting clip, a match-high seven blocks and a career-best three service aces, while sophomore setter Sierra Starley chipped in her fifth double-double of the season with 49 assists and a career-high 12 digs.
 
The freshman Jensen leads the Wolverines on the season with a 2.88 kills per set average, while the senior Bakker paces the team in both blocking (1.26) and hitting (.345). Bakker's 1.26 blocks per set average is also good enough to lead the WAC and rank her 45th nationally.
 
The three-time all-conference performer Bakker, who became the first Wolverine in school history to surpass 500 career blocks earlier this season, will look to become the fourth player in school history to join the 1,000-career kills club on Saturday as she'll enter play just eight kills shy of 1,000 for her career.
 
ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
Seattle University will enter Saturday's match with a 15-9 overall record and in fourth place in the league standings at 7-4. The Redhawks have won three of their last four matches, including a 3-0 sweep over GCU last weekend in Phoenix.
 
Martina Samadan paces SU in kills, blocks and hitting with respective averages of 3.20, 1.23 and .447. Her .447 attack percentage is good enough to lead the WAC while her 1.23 blocks per set average ranks her second in the league.
 
Saturday's contest will mark the ninth all-time meeting between the Wolverines and Redhawks. Despite the fact that Seattle U has knocked UVU out of the conference tournament in each of the past two seasons, Utah Valley revoked some revenge last month at home with a 3-0 sweep over SU to even the all-time series at 4-4.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE WOLVERINES
UVU will return home to conclude its regular season with two more conference matches next week. The Wolverines will first welcome UTRGV to town on Thursday, Nov. 12 before closing their regular season against the first-place and undefeated New Mexico State Aggies on Saturday, Nov. 14. The 2015 WAC Tournament will then take place Nov. 19-21 in Kansas City, Missouri.