LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Strong defense and a balanced attack led Utah Valley to a thrilling, five-set upset of host #2 New Mexico State, 3-2 (22-25, 25-17, 24-26, 25-21, 15-12) in the opening round of the WAC Volleyball Tournament. With the win, the Wolverines improve to 14-12 on the season, advancing to the WAC tournament semifinals for the sixth-consecutive year. NM State ends its season with a 19-9 record on the year.
 
"It was a great team effort," said Utah Valley head volleyball coach Sam Atoa. "They knew from the beginning it was a match they could control. They were poised and confident, especially at the end, and they stuck to the game plan from start to finish. They were the warriors tonight and I'm very proud of them."

Following a kill by NM State, Abbie Miller and Bryton Bishop led a 3-1 run to give UVU an early 3-2 advantage. The Aggies responded with a 6-2 run to retake the lead, 8-5, but Natalie Palmer led a 3-1 run to trim the lead down to 9-8. After a 3-0 counter by NMSU, both teams exchanged the next six points as the Aggies held a 15-11 lead. Kazna Tanuvasa and Sadie Hamson led an 8-1 surge by the Wolverines, putting Utah Valley up 19-16. NMSU rallied, scoring six of the next seven points to retake the lead, 22-21. Tori Dorius hit home a kill to tie up the set, but New Mexico State scored the final three points of the set to take the set, 25-22.
 
Both teams went back and forth to start the second set as UVU took an early 8-5 advantage. NM State rattled off five-straight points to go up 10-8, but Dorius and Kendra Nock sparked a 9-1 run to put the Wolverines up, 19-11. After a pair of points by the Aggies, Utah Valley used a 5-1 run to get to set point, 24-14. New Mexico State was unable to challenge from there as UVU tied the match up at 1-1 with a 25-17 win in the second set.
 
After alternating the first seven points of the third set, UVU took an early 6-4 lead. The Aggies rattled off a 6-1 run to go up 10-7, but a pair of aces by Miller led a 4-1 run by Utah Valley to tie the set up at 11-11. NM State used a 9-4 surge to regain the lead, 22-15, but Kalea Kennedy sparked an 8-1 run to tie the set up at 23-23. After a long rally that went to NMSU, Nock hammered home a kill to tie the set back up at 24 apiece. The Aggies were able to score the final two points of the set, claiming the third set, 26-24, in extra points to go up, 2-1.
 
Following a back-and-forth start to the fourth set, Kristen Bell led a 4-1 run to give UVU a 9-7 lead. Utah Valley was unable to pull away as New Mexico State fought back to take the lead, 13-12. Kennedy sparked a 4-1 run by the Wolverines to go back in front, 16-14, before NMSU tied it back up at 18 apiece. An ace by Bishop fueled a 7-3 end to the set at the Wolverines took the fourth set, 25-21, forcing a deciding fifth set.
 
New Mexico State took an early 7-5 advantage to start the final set, but Tanuvasa and Kennedy led UVU on a 7-2 surge to go up, 12-9. Following two-straight points by the Aggies that cut the lead to 12-11, Hamson and Kennedy teamed up for a block and Hamson drilled home the final kill to give the Wolverines the win, 15-12.
 
Dorius led the Wolverines with 14 kills and three blocks. Tanuvasa tallied 11 kills and seven digs as she passed Camie Manwill for second all-time in career points in school history. Bell added nine kills to go along with five digs while chipped in eight kills and four blocks. Nock totaled a team-high seven blocks while Hamson finished with six blocks. Miller finished with 28 assists, eight digs, and a pair of aces and Palmer had a career-high 20 assists, four digs, and two aces. Bishop led UVU with 21 digs to go along with a team-high three service aces.  
 
The Wolverines advance to the WAC Volleyball Tournament semifinals, taking on #6 Stephen F. Austin on Friday, Nov. 19, at 7:00 p.m. MST. The match will be in the Pan American Center and will be broadcasted on ESPN+. The winner will advance to the conference championship match with a spot in the NCAA Volleyball Tournament on the line.