OREM – Utah Valley is set to host in-state rival, Utah State, on Tuesday, Sep. 14, in Lockhart Arena. The match is set to begin at 6:00 p.m. This marks the 18th matchup on the court as the Wolverines hold an 9-8 record against the Aggies all-time. UVU has won the last three contests with Utah State, including back- to-back sweeps over the Aggies. The Wolverines also swept USU in the last matchup in Orem, 3-0, on Sep. 4, 2019.
Utah State is from Logan, Utah, and calls the Mountain West Conference home. Utah State is 6-3 this season, including a 3-0 sweep of Seton Hall and a five-set loss to Weber State. The Wildcats went 5-10 a season ago, finishing ninth in the Mountain West.
The Wolverines went 2-2 last week, dropping a five-set thriller to NCAA tourney team, Weber Sate, 3-2 (24- 26, 25-16, 25-22, 19-25, 11-15) in Ogden, Utah. Kazna Tanuvasa had 23 kills, Abbie Miller had 31 assists, and Bryton Bishop had 26 digs to lead UVU.
Utah Valley then headed to Flagstaff, Ariz. for the Lumberjack Classic where the Wolverines took second in a competitive field of Arizona State, UC Davis, and Northern Arizona. UVU dropped a tightly-contested five-set match to PAC-12 foe, ASU, 3-2 (18-25, 25-23, 25-22, 23-25, 13-15) before knocking of UC Davis in five sets, 3-2 (22-25, 25-15, 25-13, 23-25, 15-7) and then defeating host Northern Arizona in four set, 3-1 (22-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-22). Top performers from the tournament included Makayla Pollard, Jules Fink, Tanuvasa, Miller, and Bishop.
Senior outside hitter Kazna Tanuvasa is currently fourth in UVU history in career kills (1324), needing 77 to pass Jessica Endres for third all-time. Tanuvasa also ranks third in career attacks (3409) and third in career points (1482.0). Senior outside hitter Kristen Bell currently ranks eighth in career points (1025.0), eighth in kills (865), and ninth in solo blocks (19).
Following the matchup with Utah State, the Wolverines continue their five-game homestand as Utah Valley welcomes Big Sky foe Idaho State to Lockhart Arena on Thursday, Sep. 16. The match is set to begin at 5:00 p.m. UVU then hosts in-state rival #15 BYU on Saturday, Sep. 18, in the UCCU Crosstown Clash.
