OREM, Utah – The Utah Valley University volleyball team managed to overcome a late fourth-set deficit en route to earning a 3-1 victory over CSU Bakersfield in Western Athletic Conference action on Thursday evening at Lockhart Arena (25-22, 20-25, 25-22, 25-23). 
 
Trailing the Roadrunners by six at 20-14, UVU made its move by reeling off five of the next six points to make it 21-19. Then again with their backs against the wall down 23-20, the Wolverines managed to drive home five consecutive clutch points to seal the fourth set and the match. 
 
With the victory, UVU (16-12, 8-7 WAC) moves a game ahead of CSUB (14-14, 7-8 WAC) in the WAC standings and will look to lockup the No. 4 seed for next week's WAC Tournament in the regular-season finale on Saturday. The Wolverines have also now won five of their last six with the triumph. 
 
"The girls showed a lot of fight and grit there at the end. I was very proud of them for managing to take it one point at a time and overcome that late deficit. They were very determined to get this victory," head UVU coach Sam Atoa said.
 
Freshman Kazna Tarawhiti led the Wolverines with a match-high 25 kills on a season-high .383 hitting performance. She also finished just one dig shy of a double-double with nine. Junior Makaila Jarema was next for UVU with a season-high 14 kills on .310 hitting. She also added a match-high nine blocks at the net. Sophomore Bailey Nixon too had a big match by tallying a career-best 11 kills and two aces, while senior Alexis Davies added seven kills and six blocks. Junior Madi Wardle too had a strong outing by dishing out a season-high 35 assists and sophomore Seren Merrill once again led the team from the back row with 19 digs. 
 
"Kazna had an outstanding night and hit the ball very well for us," Atoa added. "Our middles were also great and very effective in the match. Our setters too played well and helped run our offense efficiently. I was also pleased with Bailey's performance. She did a nice job of stepping in and getting the job done for us once again. She was also key for us there at the end at the service line." 
 
In a tightly contested opening set, the Wolverines took a 15-13 advantage following a Jarema kill. Following a timeout, the 'Runners then bounced back with three of the next four to tie the score at 16-16. With CSUB later holding to a 21-20 advantage, UVU then answered with four consecutive points to take a 24-21 set-point advantage. Jarema led the spurt with a pair of kills, while Tarawhiti added a kill and Abbie Vincent chipped in a service ace. Following a Bakersfield point, the Wolverines then put the opener away at 25-22 following a set-point kill from Tarawhiti. The reigning WAC Offensive Player of the Week Tarawhiti paced UVU with eight first-set kills on .467 hitting. 
 
In the second set, the 'Runners then managed to jump out to a 12-9 advantage following a 4-0 run. With UVU trailing by two at 14-12 following a kill from Bailey Nixon, CSUB then responded with a trio of consecutive points to take a 17-12 lead. After a timeout, Utah Valley then countered back with four unanswered points to make it a one-point score at 17-16. Davies led the spurt with a pair of kills and a block. Down 19-18, CSUB again responded with three straight points to take a late 22-18 advantage. The Wolverines pulled to within three at 23-20 following a Tarawhiti kill, but Bakersfield responded with back-to-back points on consecutive UVU miscues to take the set, 25-20, and tie the match at 1-1.
 
Trailing 11-9 in the third game, Utah Valley then managed to piece together a 6-1 run to take a 15-12 advantage. Nixon had a kill and an ace during the stretch, while Davies and Merrill each added kills for the Wolverines. Holding to a 17-16 lead, UVU then scored four of the next five to take a 21-17 advantage. CSUB later struck back with three unanswered to pull within a point at 22-21, back responded Utah Valley with three of the final four points to take the third set, 25-22, and a 2-1 lead in the match. Tarawhiti had a kill down the stretch for the Wolverines while Davies and Jasmine Niutupuivaha added a block assist.
 
With UVU holding to an early 7-5 fourth-set advantage following a Nixon kill, CSU Bakersfield bounced back with seven unanswered points to take a 12-7 lead. After a Wolverine point, CSUB then tacked on three more to make it 15-8. The Wolverines then struck back with three straight Tarawhiti kills to make it 15-11. UVU later pulled to within three at 17-14 after a trio of unanswered points and again at 20-17 following a Vincent ace. After a Bakersfield point, Utah Valley then made it a two-point deficit at 21-19 following a Downs kills and a Jarema and Downs block assist. With CSUB holding to a late 23-20 advantage, UVU then answered with five clutch consecutive points to seal the victory. Nixon pounded home an ace for the Wolverines down the stretch, while Jarema and Davies teamed up for back-to-back block assists on the final two points. 
 
Three players finished in double figures in kills for the 'Runners led by 15 from Briannah Mariner. 
 
The Wolverines will look to lockup the No. 4 seed for next week's WAC Volleyball Tournament when they host Grand Canyon in the regular-season finale on Saturday at 1 p.m. The contest will mark Senior Day for Utah Valley, as the Wolverines will honor senior right side/outside hitter Alexis Davies prior to the match. 
 
The 2018 WAC Volleyball Tournament will then be held Nov. 22-24 at CSUB's Icardo Center in Bakersfield, California. With UVU and CSUB having locked in either the No. 4 or No. 5 seeds, the two will then again face one another in the opening round of the conference tournament on Thanksgiving Day.