SEATTLE – Utah Valley University defeated Seattle University 3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-22) on Saturday afternoon inside the Redhawk Center. UVU (9-7, 3-1) used a season-high hitting percentage of .366 in the victory over Seattle U (4-8, 0-4).
Kazna Tanuvasa recorded her first double-double on the year with 12 kills and ten digs.
Natalie Palmer had her second of the season with 13 assists and 11 digs.
Utah Valley cruised to a 25-16 opening set victory behind five kills from Tanuvasa and four from
Hailey Cuff as the Wolverines hit .324 in the opening set. UVU used a 6-0 run to extend the 15-14 lead out to 21-14 to pull away from the Redhawks. UVU was aided by kills from Cuff and Tanuvasa and blocks from
Makayla Broadbent and
Kalea Kennedy.
UVU took control of the second set with a 12-1 run to give the Wolverines a 17-8 lead.
Tori Dorius led UVU with four kills in the stretch, with Tanuvasa having three of her match-high 12.
Caleigh Vagana added a kill, along with a couple of Seattle U attack errors. Utah Valley closed the set out with a kill from Kennedy and a service ace from
Abbie Miller that ended a SU 4-0 run.
The Wolverines held a 13-11 lead in the third set before a pair of 3-0 runs pushed UVU in front. Broadbent and Dorius teamed up for a block before a Seattle U attack error, and a kill from Miller put UVU up 16-11. Dorius and Kennedy added kills, and a second error on SU gave UVU a 19-12 lead. The Wolverines pulled away for a 25-22 victory.
UVU had ten blocks in the match, with Vagana and Broadbent having four.
Hailey Cuff had nine kills in the match and added three blocks for UVU. Miller had 21 assists in the match. The victory earns UVU their tenth consecutive victory in the all-time series.
The Wolverines return home for the next three matches beginning on Oct. 13 with UT Arlington for a 5:00 p.m. start. Stephen F. Austin comes to Orem for an Oct. 15 match at 11:00 a.m. before UVU and Utah Tech renew the Old Hammer Rivalry on Oct. 20 at 6:00 p.m. All matches are inside the Lockhart Arena.