EDINBURG, Texas – Utah Valley University defeated the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley tonight 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 27-25) inside UTRGV Fieldhouse. Utah Valley (18-10) earns their third straight WAC Championship game appearance and eliminates the host school for the second consecutive year. UTRGV (26-5) could not overcome the strong start and third set rally to advance in the WAC Tournament.
 
"They still believed, and never jumped ship. They stuck in there and supported one another. We knew we had runs this year and could do it again. We did the basic and fundamental keys to the game. It was hard to take momentum away because they were so far ahead. Our perspective and poise tonight made a big difference," said UVU head coach Sam Atoa.
 
UTRGV held a 21-11 lead late in the third set and looked to force set four. The Wolverines started a lengthy comeback following a UTRGV service error. Chloie Brinton came off the bench and began to serve what ended up being a 6-0 run, with two kills from Tori Dorius and a service ace from Brinton. Kazna Tanuvasa added one of her five kills in the match to make it 21-17 Vaqueros. The Wolverines closed out the run with a block assist from Caleigh Vagana and Dorius. UVU got it down to one after a kill from Vagana and two UTRGV errors at 23-22. Luisa Silva Dos Santos had a Vaquero kill to get UTRGV to set point at 24-22. UVU benefited from a service error; cutting the UTRGV led to just one. Kalea Kennedy tied the match at 24-24 with a kill. Following a UTRGV point, the Wolverines closed out the set on a 3-0 run with two Avery Shewell kills, and an attack error.  
 
UVU jumped out to an early 6-3 lead in the second set after a kill and service ace from Natalie Palmer. The Wolverines and Vaqueros traded some runs and points before a 3-0 run by UVU at 16-14 gave UVU some distance, leading 18-14 after two kills from Shewell and a service ace from Abbie Miller. A 5-1 run closed the set for the Wolverines with two kills from Kazna Tanuvasa and a service ace.
 
Utah Valley used a 5-0 run in the first set to take a 16-9 lead after kills from Dorius and Shewell and three UTRGV attack errors. UTRGV rallied and tied the match at 20 late in the opening set. The Wolverines took the lead back after a service ace from Tanuvasa and a block assist from Shewell and Makayla Broadbent. UVU led 23-20 after an attack error from Sarah Cruz. After trading points with the Vaqueros, Utah Valley secured the set on a Vagana kill.
 
Utah Valley was led by Shewell and Tanuvasa, with each having a match-high 12 kills. Miller (18) and Palmer (14) teamed up for 32 of the 38 assists in the match. Bryton Nixon had 22 digs in the match. Perris Key and Sarah Cruz had nine kills each for UTRGV.
 
Utah Valley moves onto the 2022 WAC Tournament Championship Match against No. 2 Stephen F. Austin tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. MT. The match will air on ESPN+.