OREM, Utah – Utah Valley snapped an 11-match losing streak to Utah on Friday night inside Lockhart Arena. The last UVU victory in the series was in 2009, also in Orem.  Avery Shewell recorded a double-double with 11 kills and 12 digs to lead UVU (1-1) over Utah (0-1). Caleigh Vagana had nine blocks to come within one of tying a career-high.
 
"It was an amazing win tonight!! Beating Utah was huge for us. I am so proud of the team for their resilience and determination to fight back after a tough loss earlier. They showed a lot of grit!!" said UVU head coach Sam Atoa.
 
Utah Valley took the first set 25-19 after capitalizing on ten Utah attack errors. Avery Shewell and Kalea Kennedy each had three kills in the set. Utah Valley took a 6-3 lead following kills from Kendra Nock and Kennedy and later pulled away from Utah with a 7-0 run, with kills by Kennedy, Nock, and Shewell and blocks from Shewell and Caleigh Vagana. UVU took a ten-point lead at 19-9 before the Utes started chipping away at the lead and making it as close as 20-17. The Wolverines held strong to win the first set 25-19 after two attack errors clinched the set.
 
UVU and Utah played a close second set with eight ties and four lead changes. The Wolverines took the first lead at 2-1 after a service ace from Shewell. Later in the set, as UVU looked to pull away, the Utes went on a 5-1 run to make it 19-18 Utes. Utah Valley tied it up at 19-19 on the next point, but then a 6-3 run by Utah tied the match at one set.
 
UVU had their highest hitting percentage of the night at .400 as Tori Ellis led the charge with five kills in the set. Utah Valley took a 6-3 lead in the third after a 4-0 run with two Ute errors and kills from Ellis and Kendra Nock. The lead later grew to five at 12-5, following four of the Utes' nine total errors in the set. Utah climbed back within one at 13-12 after a 5-1 run as they approached the media timeout. Out of the timeout, Ellis, Shewell, and Hailey Cuff all added kills to help put UVU in front 19-14. Leading 23-16, the Wolverines held on for the set after a late Utah rally fell short.
 
The match's final set went back and forth early before the Wolverines used a 9-1 run late to pull away after taking advantage of Utah errors, with kills from Cuff, Nock, and a service ace from Lani Matavao.
 
Abbie Medeiros had 16 assists in the match and was joined by freshman Setter Evalyn Chism who added 16 assists and eight digs, just two short of a double-double. Tori Ellis had 11 kills.
 
The Wolverines will close out the first weekend of play with a rematch against NC State. The first serve is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. MT inside Lockhart Arena. UVU will travel next week to the Kristen Dickmann Invitational hosted by the United States Naval Academy.