ABILENE, Texas – Utah Valley University defeated Abilene Christian University on Saturday inside Moody Gymnasium in Abilene, Texas. Utah Valley (15-7, 9-1) used a season-high 20 kills from
Kazna Tanuvasa to lead the UVU offensive attack.
Abbie Miller had a season-high with 32 assists and was two off a career-high. Abilene Christian (7-16, 4-7) and was led by Braden Bossier, with 14 kills in the match.
Abilene Christian took the first set of the match after holding UVU to a .207 hitting percentage.
Tori Dorius and
Avery Shewell had three kills in the set to lead UVU offensively. ACU used two runs of six points each to pull away from the Wolverines. Miller added two service aces during the set for UVU.
Utah Valley rallied after the first set and came out and hit .364 in the second set, starting the set on a 6-2 run with block assists from
Caleigh Vagana,
Makayla Broadbent, Dorius, and Tanuvasa. The Wolverines took a 9-4 lead after a service ace from Broadbent, and later added a 5-2 run to go up 15-8. The teams traded points in the late moments of the second set, but UVU closed it out for a 25-21 win.
UVU held a three-point lead three times in the third set, and ACU closed the gap each time. The set was tied at 18 before UVU used a 4-1 run to pull away after two kills from Dorius, with Shewell and Tanuvasa adding kills to go up 23-20. The Wildcats scored a point on a kill to pull within two at 23-21, but Broadbent added a kill and a block assist with Tanuvasa to close out the set.
Abilene Christian led 23-22 in the final set and look to force a fifth set. The Wolverines responded and came back to tie the set at 25 before the two teams traded points down the stretch before UVU was able to pull it out with kills from
Kalea Kennedy and Vagana before an ACU attack error sealed the win. It marks UVU's ninth win of the season in four sets.
The Wolverines return home for the final two home matches of the year against New Mexico State on Nov. 3 for a 6:00 p.m. start inside Lockhart Arena, and then UT Rio Grande Valley comes to Orem on Nov. 5 for a 1:00 p.m. contest. Tickets are available for both matches at home next week.
