RALEIGH, N.C. – Behind 21 kills from Kazna Tarawhiti and 20 more from Kristen Allred, the Utah Valley University volleyball team capped its unbeaten East Coast trip with a 3-2 upset victory over 2017 NCAA Tournament qualifier and ACC foe NC State on Friday night at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh (23-25, 25-21, 25-23, 21-25, 15-9). The victory marked UVU's sixth in a row and its first in program history over an opponent from the Atlantic Coast Conference. 
 
Utah Valley (8-3) has not only won six in a row, but also seven of its last eight matches after winning three five-set matches in North Carolina to win the Wolfpack/Camel Invitational. Besides the victory over the Wolfpack, UVU also picked up a pair of other five-set triumphs over Campbell and Appalachian State on Thursday and Friday in the Tar Heel State.  
 
"I'm just so ecstatic and happy for the girls. The hard work and what they are doing is truly incredible. They did a great job of sticking with it for three consecutive five-set matches, and I couldn't be happier," head UVU coach Sam Atoa said. "The girls were very poised all weekend long. We found ourselves in challenging situations in each match, but we found the will to just keep playing hard. And we did a great job of that here tonight." 
 
The reigning WAC Offensive Player of the Week Tarawhiti led all players with 21 kills and 17 digs for her second double-double of the season, while Allred followed with a 20-kill and 15-dig double-double of her own. The Preseason All-WAC honoree Allred also posted an impressive .310 hitting percentage after committing just two attack errors on 58 swings on her way to recording a new career high in kills. Jasmine Niutupuivaha was next for UVU with eight kills and three blocks, while freshman Kenzie Guimont added a team-high four blocks, and Seren Merrill finished with a team-best 20 digs and three service aces. Allred and Niutupuivaha both earned Wolfpack/Camel Invitational All-Tournament Team honors after each posting stellar outings for UVU at the event. 
 
After dropping the fourth set and with their backs against the wall to the Power-5 Wolfpack (4-3), Utah Valley came out on fire in the decisive fifth game by building a quick 9-4 lead. Allred was key for UVU during the 8-1 run by pounding home four kills. NC State wouldn't go away, however, as it struck back consecutive points to pull within three at 9-6. But Utah Valley was determined to notch its third five-set victory of the weekend by answering to score six of the next nine points to take the final set by a score of 15-9. Niutupuivaha drove home a pair of kills during the final stretch, while the freshmen duo of Kaili Downs and Guimont added a block assist, and Tarawhiti recorded her match-high 21st kill. 
 
UVU got off to a strong start in the opening set against the ACC Wolfpack, as it jumped out to a 11-7 advantage following a 6-1 spurt. Allred led the early run for the Wolverines with a pair of kills while Merrill added a service ace. Utah Valley later stretched its lead to 15-10 after reeling off a 4-1 run. Allred and Abbie Vincent capped the rally with a kill and a respective ace. Up 17-13, NC State then got things going by reeling off seven unanswered points to take a 20-17 advantage. With the Wolfpack holding to a late 23-20 lead, UVU then made things interesting by scoring three of the next four points to make it 24-23. Tarawhiti drove home two kills during the late stretch while Niutupuivaha pounded home the other. NC State then managed to answer, however, thanks to an untimely Utah Valley attack error to take the tightly contested opening set by a score of 25-23. 
 
In another tightly contested set, the Wolverines again pulled ahead early in the second set at 9-6 following a trio of consecutive points that was capped by a service ace from Madi Wardle. Later holding to a 12-11 advantage, UVU managed to reel off a 3-1 run thanks to a trio of kills from Tarawhiti to take a 15-12 lead. The Wolfpack then countered back by scoring six of the next eight points to take an 18-17 advantage. Trailing 19-18, Utah Valley then reeled off a key 5-1 spurt to take a late 22-19 lead. Niutupuivaha led the run with a pair of aces. After back-to-back points from NC State, the Wolverines then put the set away by scoring the final three points of the set to take the game, 25-21, and tie the match at 1-1. The freshmen duo of Tarawhiti and Guimont helped UVU finish off the set with back-to-back block assists. Tarawhiti led UVU in the set with eight second-set kills. 
 
Utah Valley pulled ahead again in the early stages of the third set, as it scored five of the first six points to take a 5-1 lead. With UVU later holding to a 10-6 advantage after consecutive kills from Tarawhiti, the Wolfpack then struck back with a 5-1 lead to tie the score at 11-all. Deadlocked at 13-13, the Wolverines then answered with a key 8-1 spurt to take a 21-14 advantage. Alexis Davies led the run with a block and a kill and NC State aided the UVU run with five errors. Up 22-15, NC State then countered by scoring eight of the next nine points to tie the set up at 23-all. UVU did a nice job of responding, however, with back-to-back kills from the Preseason All-WAC performer Allred to give the Wolverines the set, 25-23, and a 2-1 lead in the match.  
 
The Wolfpack then looked to force a decisive fifth game, as they built an early 12-10 lead following a trio of consecutive points. UVU then responded by scoring three of the next four points to tie the score at 13-13. Allred pounded home a pair of kills during the stretch while Tarawhiti added another of her own. With the Wolverines later holding to a 17-15 advantage following a service ace from Jaysa Funk Stratton, the Wolfpack managed to score six of the next eight points to take a 22-19 lead. UVU struck back with kills from Niutupuivaha and Allred down the stretch, but it wasn't enough as NC State managed to hold on to take the set, 25-21, and force a decisive fifth set. 
 
Teni Sopitan and Preseason All-ACC selection Melissa Evans paced NC State in the contest with 19 and 18 respective kills.
 
During the current six-match win streak, UVU holds wins over NC State, Appalachian State, Campbell, in-state foe Utah State, Long Beach State, and Arkansas-Pine Bluff.    
 
The Wolverines will now return home for an in-state contest against Weber State on Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. at Lockhart Arena. Following the match, UVU will then head to Salt Lake City on Friday, Sept. 14 for its final non-conference contest of the season when it takes on another in-state foe in the No. 21 Utah Utes at the Huntsman Center. The Wolverines will then open WAC play on Sept. 20 at home against Chicago State. 
 
Atoa will enter next week's matches just two wins shy of win number 400 for his career, as he currently holds a 398-224 in 20 seasons of coaching at Utah Valley.