UTAH VALLEY at NEW MEXICO STATE
Thursday, Oct. 18  |  6 p.m. MT
Pan American Center  |  Las Cruces, N.M.
WAC Digital Network  |  Live Stats  |  UVU Notes  |  NMSU Notes

UTAH VALLEY at UT RIO GRANDE VALLEY
Saturday, Oct. 20  |  11 a.m. MT/12 p.m. CT
UTRGV Fieldhouse   |  Edinburg, Texas
WAC Digital Network  |  Live Stats  |  UVU Notes  |  UTRGV Notes
 

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BIG ROAD MATCHES ON TAP THIS WEEKEND FOR UVU VOLLEYBALL
OREM, Utah – Fresh off of a trio of consecutive conference victories, the Utah Valley University volleyball team will return to the road for key Western Athletic Conference matches at New Mexico State on Thursday (Oct. 18) and UT Rio Grande Valley on Saturday (Oct. 20). 
 
Thursday's match against the second-place NM State Aggies will take place at 6 p.m. MT at NMSU's Pan American Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The Wolverines will then cap the trip with a rematch against the now third-place UTRGV Vaqueros on Saturday at 11 a.m. MT/noon CT at the UTRGV Fieldhouse in Edinburg, Texas. 
 
Both contests will be streamed live on the WAC Digital Network and will also have live stats available. Thursday's live stats can be followed by visiting NMStateSports.com, while Saturday's can be viewed at GoUTRGV.com. 
 
The Wolverines (11-9, 3-4 WAC) will enter the week having won three straight contests after recording a 3-1 victory over the then first-place Vaqueros at Lockhart Arena in Orem last week. After dropping the opening set, UVU then responded to win the next three by scores of 25-18, 26-24 and 25-23 on its way to recording the victory. 
 
Kazna Tarawhiti led Utah Valley in the win over UTRGV with 15 kills, while Kristen Allred added nine kills, 15 digs and seven blocks. Makaila Jarema and Jasmine Niutupuivaha too had big matches for the Wolverines, as Jarema recorded eight kills on .467 hitting along with a match-high 11 blocks while Niutupuivaha added seven kills on .417 hitting and three blocks. 
 
With the third-set all tied up against the Vaqueros at 24-24, UVU then got a clutch kill from Tarawhiti followed by a block assist from Niutupuivaha and Tarawhiti to take the tightly contested third game. The Wolverines again found themselves leading by just a point at 23-22 in the fourth set, and this time the senior Alexis Davies and Niutupuivaha both drove home key kills to help UVU win the set and the match. 
 
The Wolverines also hold road wins over Seattle U and Grand Canyon during the winning streak. 
 
The freshman Tarawhiti leads UVU and the WAC on the season offensively with 327 total kills and a 3.99 kills per set average. Tarawhiti also ranks 18th nationally in total attacks (904), 22nd in total kills and 48th in the country in kills per set average. Jarema too leads the team and the WAC in blocks with a 1.58 blocks per set clip. Her blocking average would also currently rank her sixth nationally when she reaches the statistical minimums.
 
As a team, the Wolverines lead the WAC and rank fifth nationally in total team blocks with 217.5 and 29th in blocks per set (2.59). 
 
ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
New Mexico State will enter Thursday's match with a 15-5 overall record and a 5-2 conference clip. NM State is just a half a game back of the current WAC leaders California Baptist (6-2) and has won five straight matches. After dropping their first two conference matches on the road in five sets to CBU and CSU Bakersfield, the Aggies have since won their last five with wins over Seattle U, Grand Canyon, UMKC, Chicago State and UTRGV. NM State was picked to win the WAC again this season after winning the conference regular season title in each of the last three seasons. 
 
Tatyana Battle paces NMSU on the year in both kills and digs with per set averages of  3.33 kills and 2.91 digs. Megan Hart tops the team in both hitting and blocking with a .354 attack percentage and a 0.97 blocks per set clip.
 
Thursday's contest will mark the 11th all-time meeting between the Wolverines and the Aggies. NM State will enter play holding to an 8-2 series lead and an unblemished 5-0 mark in Las Cruces. Despite having dropped eight of their last nine to the Aggies, UVU did top New Mexico State just last season in five sets in Orem (Oct. 7, 2017).
 
UTRGV will enter the week with a 14-8 overall record and a 5-3 WAC record. After holding down first place in the league standings a week ago at 5-1, the Vaqueros then dropped back-to-back matches at UVU as well as home to New Mexico State to fall into a tie for third in the league standings. Prior to the two league setbacks last week, UT Rio Grande Valley had won five straight with wins over CBU, GCU, SU, CSU and UMKC. The Vaqueros were picked to finish second in the WAC this season after taking second a season ago and falling in the championship match of the conference tournament. 
 
Preseason WAC Player of the Year Ragni Steen Knudsen leads UTRGV on the year and ranks second in the WAC with a 3.92 kills per set average. Barbara Silva is next with a 3.12 clip, while Talita Oliveira tops the team at the net with a 1.02 blocks per set average. 
 
After topping the Vaqueros just last week, Saturday's match will mark the 37th all-time meeting between UVU and UTRGV. The Wolverines will enter play holding to a 29-7 series lead, as well as an 11-4 advantage in Edinburg. Despite winning last week, UT Rio Grande Valley has pulled out six of the last eight meetings, however, between the two conference foes.  
 
UP NEXT FOR UTAH VALLEY
Following the trip, the Wolverines will return home to host Seattle U on Thursday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. The contest will mark UVU's lone match of the week.