OREM – Sadie Hamson's career night led Utah Valley to a record-setting match, however, the Wolverines fell short against Grand Canyon, 3-2 (25-22, 19-25, 25-18, 21-25, 14-16) in Lockhart Arena. UVU set a school-record with 22.5 total blocks while Hamson tied Makaila Jarema for the third most blocks in a match with 13 total blocks. Hamson and Jules also became the first UVU duo to each have double-digit blocks in the same match.
 
With the loss, the Wolverines fall to 5-8 on the season, including 0-2 in the WAC. The Lopes improve to 9-2 on the year and 1-1 in conference play.
 
After a kill by Kristen Bell, GCU rattled off five-straight points to take an early 5-1 advantage. Kazna Tanuvasa and Kendra Nock led the UVU response as the Wolverines went on an 8-2 run to retake the lead, 9-7. The Lopes used a 3-0 run to get back into the set, but Bell led a 6-2 run to put the Wolverines up, 15-12. Four-straight GCU points put Grand Canyon back up, 16-15, but Hamson and Fink sparked another 6-2 run by UVU to give Utah Valley the edge, 21-18. The Lopes tied the set back up at 22-22, but the Wolverines scored the final three points of the set to take the opening set, 25-22.
 
Both teams battled back and forth to start the second set with a tie, 8-8. Grand Canyon used a 7-3 run to open up a 15-11 advantage before kills by Fink and Tanuvasa cut the deficit to 15-13. The Lopes responded with a 7-2 run to open up a 22-15 lead before coasting to a 25-19 win in the second set, tying the match up at 1-1.
 
GCU score the first two points of the third set before Hamson led a 7-2 UVU run to put the Wolverines up 7-4. The Lopes used a 4-1 run to tie the set up at 8-8 before both teams went back and for to an 14-14 tie. A pair of kills by Kalea Kennedy sparked a 5-2 run by the Wolverines to go up 19-16. With Utah Valley up 20-18, UVU scored the final five points of the set, using three blocks to propel the Wolverines to a 25-18 win in the set. Utah Valley finished the set with nine total blocks, the most blocks in a set in the last four seasons.
 
The Lopes got out to an early 7-4 lead in the fourth set but Bryton Bishop and Tanuvasa led the Wolverines on a 5-1 run to give the UVU a 9-8 advantage. Grand Canyon ripped off eight-straight points to push its lead to 16-9. Bishop and Nock led the comeback as Utah Valley used a 10-5 run to cut the lead down to 21-19. The Wolverines were unable to overcome the deficit as the Lopes scored four of the final six points of the set to take the set 25-21, tying the match up at 2-2.
 
Grand Canyon got off to a quick start in the final set, scoring the first three points, but the Wolverines countered with a 6-1 surge to go up, 6-4. After a pair of points by the Lopes, UVU used a 5-2 run to go up 11-8. GCU ripped off a 6-1 run to go up, 14-12 but the Wolverines stay alive with kills by Fink and Tanuvasa. Grand Canyon scored the final two points of the match to take the final set, 16-14, and win the match, 3-2.
 
Bell finished with a double-double, totaling 11 kills and 11 digs. Tanuvasa led UVU with 12 kills to go along with eight digs and five blocks. Fink added seven kills to her career-high 10 blocks and Nock finished a block shy of double-double, chipping in 10 kills and nine total blocks. Abbie Miller led Utah Valley with 25 assists to go along with six digs and Natalie Palmer added 19 assists and four digs. Bishop led the backline defense with 17 digs, three assists, and three aces.

The Wolverines continue WAC play as Utah Valley hits the road to take on Chicago State on Thursday, Sep. 30, at 5:00 p.m. MT. The Wolverines then continue on the road, traveling to Seattle U on Oct. 7 before taking on California Baptist in Riverside, Calif. On Oct. 9.