Utah Valley (5-4) vs. Lehigh (4-3)
Friday, Sept. 8 | 2 p.m. MT/3 p.m. CT
The Rickel | Fort Worth, Texas
Live Stats |
UVU Notes |
Lehigh Notes
Utah Valley (5-4) vs. Duke (4-2)
Saturday, Sept. 9 | 10 a.m. MT/11 a.m. CT
The Rickel | Fort Worth, Texas
Live Stats |
UVU Notes |
Duke Notes
Utah Valley (5-4) at TCU (4-2)
Saturday, Sept. 9 | 6 p.m. MT/7 p.m. CT
The Rickel | Fort Worth, Texas
Live Video |
Live Stats |
UVU Notes |
TCU Notes
UTAH VALLEY HEADS TO TEXAS FOR TCU'S FIGHT IN THE FORT
OREM, Utah – Fresh off of a pair of road victories at Idaho State and Utah State earlier in the week, the Utah Valley University volleyball team will travel to Fort Worth, Texas, this weekend for TCU's Fight in the Fort. The two-day tournament will mark UVU's final preseason tournament of the season and will be contested at TCU's University Recreation Center on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 8-9.
The Wolverines will open the weekend tournament with a 2 p.m. MT/3 p.m. CT contest against Lehigh on Friday afternoon, before facing Duke (10 a.m. MT/11 a.m. CT) and the host TCU Horned Frogs on Saturday (6 p.m. MT/7 p.m. CT).
UVU (5-4) will enter the weekend tournament on a four-match winning streak and having won five of its last six matches. Besides defeating both ISU and in-state foe USU in four sets on the road this past Monday and Tuesday, Utah Valley also pulled out wins over fellow in-state rival Southern Utah on Aug. 29, as well as Montana and Long Beach State last weekend at the home Wolverine Invitational. UVU's lone loss during the stretch was a tightly contested three-set battle to No. 9 Kansas.
Senior
Lexi Thompson led the UVU attack in the two wins over the Bengals and Aggies earlier this week by putting up 32 kills, a 4.0 kills per set average and a .295 hitting percentage. The reigning WAC Player of the Week
Madison Dennison was next with 24 kills, a 3.0 kills per set average, an impressive .426 attack percentage and a 1.38 blocks per set clip, while
Sierra Starley dished out an average of 12.12 assists per set as well as 2.38 digs and 0.88 blocks. Thompson managed to record a season-high 19 kills in the win over ISU, while Thompson and Dennison tied with a team-high 13 kills in the victory over USU.
During Utah Valley's winning stretch, hitting has been key, as the Wolverines have held a .241 team attack percentage during the five wins. UVU has also averaged a total of 13.67 kills per set during the stretch, as well as solid 2.69 blocks per set.
On the season, Thompson paces the Wolverines in kills with a 3.12 kills per set average, while Dennison is right behind her with a 3.06 kills per set clip and a team-best .327 attack percentage. Dennison also leads UVU and the WAC in blocks with a 1.45 blocks per set average while Starley fronts the team in assists with a 10.21 assists per set clip.
All three contests this weekend will mark the first all-time meeting between UVU and each respective opponent, as the Wolverines have never faced Lehigh, Duke or TCU before.
ABOUT LEHIGH
The Mountain Hawks of the Patriot League are off to a 4-3 record after splitting four matches the opening weekend as well as going 2-1 at their home Crosstown Invitational in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, this past week. Lehigh holds its wins over Saint Peter's, Coppin State, Saint Francis and Norfolk State. LU was picked to finish fifth in the Patriot League this year after going 13-17 overall last year and 8-8 in conference play.
Ana Spangenberg paces the Mountain Hawk offense with a 2.71 kills per set average, while Lauren Bright fronts LU at the net with a 1.12 blocks per set clip.
ABOUT DUKE
The ACC Blue Devils will enter the weekend with a 4-2 record after going undefeated the opening weekend and 1-2 last week. Duke first pulled out wins over Colorado State, Northern Colorado and UCF the opening weekend in Colorado, before picking up a 3-0 win over UNC Wilmington and suffering back-to-back setbacks to Northwestern and South Carolina at the Duke Invite at Cameron Indoor Stadium last week. The Blue Devils were picked to finish seventh in the ACC this season after going 21-9 a season ago and 15-5 in league play.
Cadie Bates leads the Duke offense with a 3.17 kills per set average, while Preseason All-ACC selection Leah Meyer is tops in blocks with a 1.25 per set clip.
ABOUT TCU
The Big 12 Horned Frogs will enter the home tournament with a 4-2 record after going a perfect 3-0 the opening weekend at home and 1-2 on the road at the Florida State Invitational last week. TCU swept a trio of matches from UTSA, Coastal Carolina and Rice, before topping UNC Asheville and falling to both Colorado State and Florida State last week. Texas Christian was picked to finish seventh in the Big 12 this year after going 15-13 overall and 7-9 in conference play last season.
Ashleigh Martin paces TCU offensively on the year with a 2.86 kills per set average, while Preseason All-Big 12 selection Anna Walsh fronts the Horned Frogs at the net with a 1.05 blocks per set clip.
UP NEXT FOR UVU
Following the weekend tournament, the Wolverines will return to the state of Utah for a trio of in-state matches next week. UVU will first head to Ogden for a meeting with Weber State on Wednesday, Sept. 13, before returning to Orem for back-to-back home matches against No. 18 Utah on Friday, Sept. 15 and No. 10 BYU on Saturday, Sept. 16. Utah Valley will enter the rivalry week with an unblemished 2-0 mark on the year against in-state foes.
