OREM – The Wolverines dropped a hard-fought match to in-state rival #19 Utah, 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 19-25, 14-25) in front of a near-capacity crowd in Lockhart Arena. With the loss, UVU falls to 0-1 on the season as the Utes improve to 1-0 on the year. 
 
"The biggest difference was our execution and we did a lot better in executing in that second set on both sides of the ball," said Utah Valley head volleyball coach Sam Atoa. "Unfortunately, there were some sets where we mentally didn't execute on some things. We're going to regroup and get better from here. COVID last year prepared us for playing the same team on back-to-back nights and we are going to look at some things. We're excited to get back out on the court and be able to play."
 
Follow a pair of Utah points, the Wolverines used a 5-2 run to take an early 5-4 lead. The Utes countered with a 5-2 run of their own but Kaili Downs led a 3-0 UVU run to retake the lead, 10-9. Utah used a 7-2 push to extend its lead to 16-12 before the Wolverines before Utah Valley used another 5-2 run to cut the lead to one, 18-17. Utah used a 5-1 surge to push its leads out to 23-18, but three straight kills by Kristen Bell lead a 5-1 rally, cutting the lead down to 24-23. The Utes would finish off the set with a kill to take the opening set, 25-23.
 
Trailing 1-0 in the second set, Bell and Kazna Tanuvasa led the Wolverines on a 9-3 run to take an early 9-4 advantage. Following a 3-0 run by the Utes, Kendra Nock led UVU on a 4-1 spurt to extend its lead to 13-8. The Utes countered with a 6-2 run, trimming the Wolverine lead to 15-14, but Tanuvasa sparked an 8-3 charge to put UVU up, 23-17. The Utes cut the lead down to 24-21 but a kill by Tori Dorius finished off the set to give the Wolverines a 25-21 set win, tying the match up 1-1.
 
After an Abbie Miller ace, Utah rattled off a 10-3 run to take an early 10-4 lead. Jules Fink and Bell ignited a 9-3 run to tie the set up at 13 apiece. Following a 5-1 run by the Utes, the Wolverines responded with a 4-1 run to cut the deficit to 19-18. UVU was unable to close the gap as Utah finished the set on a 6-1 run, taking the set 25-19.   
 
Tanuvasa and Bryton Bishop got the Wolverines off to a quick start in the fourth set, taking an early 4-1 advantage. Both teams exchanged 3-0 runs before the Utes used a 7-0 surge to retake the lead, 11-7. After back-to-back points by Utah Valley, Utah ripped off an 8-1 run to extend its lead to 19-10. The Wolverines were unable to challenge from there as Utah took the final set 25-14. 
 
Tanuvasa led the Wolverines with 17 kills to go along with nine digs and a pair of blocks. Bell chipped in 10 kills, seven digs, and three blocks. Miller recorded her first-career double-double as she added a team-high 22 assists and 10 digs. Bishop and Natalie Palmer each flirted with a double-double with Bishop collecting a team-high 15 digs and a career-high nine assists, and Palmer adding 14 assists and nine digs.
 
The Wolverines travel to Salt Lake City for a rematch against Utah Saturday, Aug. 28. The match is set for 7:00 p.m. MT. Utah Valley will then return home to Lockhart Arena to take on Hawaii on Thursday, Sep. 2, at 4:30 p.m. MT.