UTAH VALLEY vs. SEATTLE U
Thursrday, Oct. 25  |  6 p.m. MT
Lockhart Arena   |  Orem, Utah
WAC Digital Network  |  Live Stats  |  UVU Notes  |  SU Notes  |  Tickets
 

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UTAH VALLEY HOME TO HOST WAC FOE SEATTLE U ON THURSDAY
OREM, Utah – After dropping a pair of tough road matches last week, the Utah Valley University volleyball team will look to get back on track on Thursday (Oct. 25) when it hosts fellow WAC member Seattle University for a conference match. 
 
The contest – which will mark UVU's lone match of the week – will begin at 6 p.m. MT at Utah Valley's Lockhart Arena. The league match will be streamed live on the WAC Digital Network, and live stats will also be available by visiting UVUStats.com.
 
The Wolverines will enter the match with an 11-11 overall record and currently in sixth place in the WAC standings with a 3-6 conference clip. After previously winning three straight, UVU then dropped a pair of tightly contested four-set matches to second-place New Mexico State (20-25, 27-25, 20-25, 24-26) and third-place UT Rio Grande Valley (16-25, 23-25, 25-19, 16-25) a week ago. 
 
In last Thursday's contest at the three-time defending WAC champion NM State Aggies, UVU pulled out the second set and took New Mexico State to extra points in two others. But it couldn't quite pull out the tightly contested contest, as the Aggies went on to defeat Utah Valley three sets to one. Then in Saturday's match at UTRGV, the Wolverines won the third set (25-19) and dropped a tight two-point set in the second (25-23). But in the end too managed to fall in four sets to the Vaqueros. 
 
Freshman Kazna Tarawhiti led UVU on the week with 41 total kills and an impressive 5.12 kills per set average. She also hit a solid .264 and added 3.00 digs per set. Sophomore Kristen Allred too shined offensively by following with 33 kills and a 4.12 per set average. She also added a .215 hitting clip and a 2.88 digs per set average. Defensively, freshman Kenzie Guimont led the way at the net with nine total blocks and a 1.50 blocks per set average, while junior Madi Wardle dished out 6.12 assists per set and Seren Merrill added a team-best 4.75 digs per set.
 
Tarawhiti leads the Wolverines and the WAC on the season in kills with 368 total kills and a 4.09 per set average. She also ranks 13th nationally in total kills, 14th in points (409.5), 16th in total attacks (1,010), 38th in attacks per set (11.22), 40th in kills per set and 45th in points per set (4.55). Makaila Jarema too tops the Wolverines and the WAC in blocks with a 1.50 per set average. Her blocking tally will also be good enough to rank her 10th nationally when she meets the NCAA statistical minimums. 
 
As a team, UVU also fronts the WAC and ranks fifth nationally in total team blocks (235.5) and 35th in blocks per set (2.56). 
 
WAC STANDINGS UPDATE
New league member California Baptist will enter the week atop the WAC standings with an 8-2 record, while NM State follows just a half game back in second at 7-2. UTRGV is currently in third at 7-3, while UMKC follows in fourth at 6-3, CSU Bakersfield in fifth at 4-5, and UVU is tied with Grand Canyon for sixth with identical 3-6 records. Chicago State will enter the week in eight with a 2-7 record, while Seattle U currently rounds out the standings in ninth at 1-7. 
 
Other than California Baptist, who is currently ineligible for tournament play as it is in a transitional period from NCAA Division II to Division I Athletics, the top six teams will advance to the WAC Tournament that will be contested Nov. 22-24 in Bakersfield, California. 
 
ABOUT SEATTLE U
The Redhawks will come to Orem with an 8-13 overall record and currently in ninth in the WAC standings with a 1-7 league clip. After winning its conference opener over Chicago State, SU has since dropped seven straight with setbacks to NM State, UTRGV, UVU, CSUB, UMKC and a pair to league leading CBU. Seattle U was picked to finish seventh in the WAC this season after finishing in sixth a season ago with a 7-7 league record. 
 
Eve Kerschenbaum leads the Redhawks offensively on the year with a 2.80 kills per set average, while Sofia Sanchez follows with a 2.36 per set clip. Maja Stojanovic is next with a 2.05 kills per set average and also fronts the team at the net with a 1.10 blocks per set clip. 
 
Thursday's contest will mark the 15th all-time meeting between UVU and SU and the second of the season. After topping the Redhawks in five sets on Oct. 4 in Seattle (24-26, 25-21, 25-21, 13-25, 15-8), Utah Valley holds a 8-6 series advantage and has now won four of the last five. The Wolverines also hold a 5-1 all-time advantage over Seattle U in Orem. 
 
UP NEXT FOR THE WOLVERINES
The Wolverines have a pair of tough matches on tap next week, as they will first head to Riverside, California, for a Thursday evening clash (Nov. 1) with first-place California Baptist before returning home to host second-place New Mexico State on Saturday, Nov. 3 at Lockhart Arena.