OREM, Utah – After dropping sets three and four, the Utah Valley University volleyball responded by winning a tightly contested fifth set, 17-15, to defeat UMKC 3-2 in Western Athletic Conference play on Saturday afternoon at the UCCU Center (25-15, 25-23, 19-25, 19-25, 17-15).
 
The Wolverines improve to 6-11 overall and 2-2 in WAC play with the victory while the Kangaroos drop to 8-8 overall and 1-2 in league play with the loss.
 
Four Wolverines finished in double figures in kills to lead the way for Utah Valley. Lexi Thompson and Madison Dennison topped the group with 17 and 15, respectively, while Izzie Hinton added 12 and Kiahna Vernon chipped in 11. Besides finishing with a team-high 17 kills, Thompson also added seven digs and three blocks, while Dennison notched a match-high six blocks and a .467 hitting percentage. Sierra Starley and Nakisha Willden too played well for UVU, as they each recorded career outings in the match. Starley finished with a career-best 58 assists, nine digs, three blocks, two kills and a service ace while Willden added a career-high 35 digs and six assists. Dennison and Hinton too both tied career-highs in the contest with their respective 15 and 12 kills.  
 
"I was pleased with the girls poise and control there in that final set. We know that it's going to come down to that in this conference," head UVU coach Sam Atoa said. "Last weekend we lost a few very close sets, so it was nice to see our team come through in a pressure situation like this one."
 
The Wolverines were the first to take the upper hand in the opening set, as they jumped out to a quick 10-4 lead following a 4-1 spurt. Dennison led the rally with a kill and an ace. The Kangaroos later pulled to within five at 14-9, but back answered UVU with a 4-0 run to extend its lead to nine at 18-9. Utah Valley held onto its lead from there as it went on to take the opening set by a score of 25-15. Thompson paced the Wolverines in the game with four kills and a block.
 
With UVU holding to a 10-9 lead in the second set, the Wolverines managed to reel off three consecutive points to take a 13-9 advantage. UMKC later countered back with a 6-1 run to overcome the deficit and take a 17-15 lead of its own. Utah Valley then answered right back with back-to-back points to tie the score at 17-all, but back struck the 'Roos with three straight points to pull back ahead at 20-17. Following a Hinton kill and a Dennison and Thompson block, the Wolverines then pulled back to within one at 21-20. After UMKC answered with a point, UVU reeled off a clutch 5-1 run to take the set, 25-23, and a 2-0 lead in the match. Dennison helped spur the late rally for the Wolverines with three straight kills and a block.
 
The 'Roos bounced back early in the third game by taking an 11-7 lead following three unanswered points. After a Brighton Taylor kill and a Starley ace, the Wolverines later cut it to two, but back countered UMKC with a 4-1 run to take a 15-10 advantage. UVU once again pulled to within two at 16-14, but Kansas City once again answered with a 3-0 spurt to extend its lead to five at 19-14. UMKC then held its lead from there as it went on to take the third set by a score of 25-19.
 
Utah Valley got things going once again early in the fourth set, as it jumped out to a quick 8-3 lead following three straight kills from Thompson. The 'Roos then countered right back with a 5-0 spurt to deadlock the score at 9-9. The score then seesawed back and forth from there until UMKC pieced together a 5-1 run to take an 18-14 lead. The Kangaroos later stretched their lead to as many as six, at 22-16, as they went on to take the fourth set, 25-19, and force a decisive fifth game.
 
With UMKC holding to an early 3-2 lead in the fifth game, the Wolverines drove home four straight points to take a 6-3 advantage. UVU continued to hold the upper hand from there, as it stretched its lead to four, at 8-4, following a Dennison kill and a 'Roo attack error. UMKC then bounced back with a 6-1 run to later regain a one-point lead at 12-11. The set then seesawed back and forth from there until UVU managed to take a 14-13 match-point lead following back-to-back Hinton and Dennison kills. With the set later all knotted up at 15-15, Utah Valley then put the match away at 17-15 following a Vernon kill and a UMKC attack error. Dennison led the UVU attack in the final set with four kills and a .444 attack percentage, while Hinton and Vernon each added three kills apiece.
 
Taylor and Lindsey Tagge too played well in the contest for the Wolverines, as Taylor notched a season-high nine kills, three blocks and an even .500 attack percentage, while Tagge added 12 digs and a service ace.
 
The contest marked Utah Valley's fifth, fifth-set match of the season. With the victory, UVU now holds a 3-2 record on the season in five-set battles.
 
The Wolverines will conclude their three-match WAC homestand next Saturday, Oct. 8 when Seattle U comes to town. The contest will take place at Pleasant Grove High School in nearby Pleasant Grove, however, due to a scheduling conflict at the UCCU Center and ongoing renovations to UVU's PE Building.