BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Behind 17 kills from junior Lexi Thompson and a career-high 44 assists and 10 digs from senior Kelcee Munk, the Utah Valley University volleyball team managed to erase a 2-1 deficit over Western Athletic Conference foe CSU Bakersfield, as the Wolverines went on to defeat CSUB, 3-2, at the Icardo Center on Thursday night in Bakersfield (9-25, 26-24, 24-26, 25-23, 15-7).
 
The victory marks the fourth consecutive for Utah Valley, as it improves to 8-11 overall and remains in a tie for second place in the WAC standings with a 4-2 league ledger. Bakersfield drops to 6-13 on the season and 3-3 in conference play with the loss.
 
"I'm very proud of the girls for the way that they were able to battle it out and respond after getting thumped in the first set. They did a tremendous job of finding the will to win that tightly contested second set to get right back in it," head UVU coach Sam Atoa said. "Overall I was real proud of their endurance, especially with us being a little short-handed tonight."
 
Trailing two sets to one, the Wolverines looked determined to even the match in the fourth set by jumping out to a quick 6-2 lead following back-to-back kills from sophomore Alexis Davies. With UVU later holding to a 15-12 lead, back countered CSUB with four unanswered points to take its first lead of the set at 16-15. The set then seesawed back-and-forth from there until Utah Valley took a 19-17 lead following two straight Bakersfield attack errors. The 'Runners then answered back by scoring three of the next four points to tie the score once again at 20-all, but back struck UVU by scoring five of the final eight points to take force a decisive fifth game. Davies capped the critical rally for the Wolverine by driving home her 11th kill of the match on set-point.
 
In the decisive final set, UVU didn't waste any time getting things going as it opened up a quick 7-1 lead. The 'Runners aided Utah Valley's early run by committing four attack errors during the stretch. CSUB later pulled to within four at 9-5, but back answered the Wolverines with four straight points to take a late 13-5 advantage. UVU then sealed the come-from-behind victory a couple of points later on a kill from senior Kiahna Vernon.
 
Besides Thompson's team-high 17 kills, she also added a career-best six blocks and eight digs while Munk's 44 assists and 10 digs marked the first double-double of her career. Davies too tied a career-high for UVU on the night by notching 12 kills, while freshman Izzie Hinton set one of her own with eight digs. Senior Nakisha Willden continued her solid play for the Wolverines with a team-high 25 digs, four assists and a service ace. 
 
With the Roadrunners holding to an early 7-6 advantage in the opening set, CSUB managed to reel off 13 unanswered points to stretch its lead to 20-6. The Wolverines countered by scoring three of the next six points, but it wasn't enough as Bakersfield capped off the set with back-to-back points to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
 
In a much tighter second set that saw seven ties and a trio of lead changes, the 'Runners took a 21-17 lead following a 4-1 run. Utah Valley then battled back to pull within two, at 21-19, following a CSUB attack error and a Madison Dennison kill. With Bakersfield later holding another four-point advantage at 23-19, UVU got hot when it mattered most by piecing together a late crucial 5-0 spurt to take a 24-23 set-point lead. Following the CSUB point, UVU once again responded with back-to-back points to put the set away and tie the match at 1-1. Thompson led the clutch run with a pair of blocks and a kill during the stretch.
 
CSU Bakersfield battled back early in the third set, as it took a 13-9 lead after a kill from Katie Dunbar-Lowe. With the 'Runners later holding to their four-point advantage, at 22-18, UVU countered back with four unanswered points to tie the score at 22-all. Following a block assist from freshman Jasmine Niutupuivaha and Hinton and a kill from Vernon, things got interesting during the spurt when consecutive cards were issued to CSUB's head coach Giovana Mello to pull the Wolverines within a point. After tying up the score on a 'Runner attack error, UVU later again evened the score at 24-24 thanks to a Dennison and Hinton block assist and a Thompson kill. Following another yellow card to CSUB's coaching staff, the Roadrunners then responded with a pair of clutch points to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
The victory not only marked UVU's fourth straight on the season but also its fourth out of six chances in five-set matches. It also marked Utah Valley's first in Bakersfield since the 2007 season.
 
The Wolverines were without the services of a pair of setters in the match, as junior Sierra Starley missed the contest due to illness and freshman Madi Wardle was sidelined with an injury.
 
"Kelcee did a great job of setting for us tonight. We needed her and she really came through for us," Atoa added. "She was truly a trooper and I was very pleased with how she performed."
 
The Wolverines will conclude their weekend trip on Saturday at 2 p.m. MT/1 p.m. PT at Grand Canyon. Following's Saturday's contest, UVU will return to Orem to welcome the defending conference champion New Mexico State Aggies to the UCCU Center on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m.