LOGAN, Utah – Despite holding a two sets to one advantage midway through the contest, Utah Valley University couldn't put its in-state counterpart Utah State away on Tuesday night as it fell to the Aggies in five sets (25-27, 26-24, 25-16, 19-25, 12-15) at USU's Kirby Court in Logan.  
 
"It was a disappointing outcome tonight. I felt like we should've been able to pull this one out, but we just didn't take care of a few basic things that could've helped make a difference in the game." head coach Sam Atoa said. "We've got a lot of things to work on, and we'll get back to work on Wednesday and try to get a little bit better."
 
Abby Jensen and Macky Fifita led the Wolverines (4-7) in the contest by each putting up double-doubles. Jensen tallied a team-high 16 kills and 11 digs while Fifita recorded 11 kills and 10 digs. Madison Dennison just missed a double-double of her own for UVU with 11 kills and a career-high nine blocks, while Kiahna Steiner too played well as she compiled nine kills and seven blocks.
 
After dropping a tightly contested opening set in extra points by a score 27-25, the Wolverines battled back to take the second frame to even the match at one set apiece. Trailing 18-12 in set number two, UVU used a 5-0 run to pull within one at 18-17. Utah Valley later took its first lead of the set, at 22-21, following a pair of kills from Fifita. With the frame all knotted up at 24-all, Steiner then teamed up with Dennison and Lauren Bakker for back-to-back block assists to put the set away at 26-24.  
 
UVU's momentum carried over to the third set as it scored 15 of the first 21 points to take a 15-6 advantage in the frame. The Wolverines then cruised from there to the set victory, as they took game number three by nine points. 
 
The Aggies (3-8) then responded by taking the fourth set, 25-19, to force a fifth and decisive frame. Utah State scored seven of the final 10 points down the stretch to take the game.
 
In the fifth and final frame, USU then once again held the upper hand as it jumped out to a 9-7 lead. UVU quickly tied it up, however, at 9-9 after back-to-back kills from Fifita and Dennison. With the Wolverines later trailing by just a point at 13-12, Utah State managed to put the match away with a pair of consecutive points, one on a kill from Rachel Gale and the other on a Utah Valley ball handling error.
 
Gale helped USU snap a five-match losing streak on Tuesday by recording a match-high 27 kills.  
 
Despite suffering the loss, the Wolverines recorded 7.5 more team blocks than the Aggies as they outblocked USU, 12.5 to 5.0.
 
The contest marked UVU's final game of a season-opening 11-match road stretch.
 
The Wolverines will now return home for their 2015 home opener on Saturday, Sept. 19 against No. 9 BYU. The rivalry contest will mark UVU's second of three in-state matches on the season and will take place at 7 p.m. in UVU's PE Building.
 
"We're excited to come home, but Saturday's contest won't be an easy task for us," Atoa added. "BYU is going to be the toughest team that we'll play all year, so we are absolutely going to have to play much better to allow ourselves an opportunity to be competitive. I honestly feel like we'll have a chance, however, as long as we take care of the areas of the game that we know that we can be really good at."