PHOENIX – Utah Valley completed their second consecutive reverse sweep in a 3-2 ((25-27, 11-25, 25-21, 25-20, 20-18) win on Thursday night over Grand Canyon at Global Credit Union Arena. Avery Shewell had 24 kills in the match to lead UVU (15-6, 6-3) to the reverse sweep over GCU (13-8, 6-3).
 
"This was another amazing win! I am so proud of how the team stuck together after being down two sets. They handled situations a lot better after that, with confidence and poise. We needed everyone's contribution tonight against a very good GCU team!! Our bench was huge for us. I love the support they bring each match. It was also awesome to have so many fans here tonight!" said UVU head coach Sam Atoa.
 
Grand Canyon looked in control in the fifth set, and with the match on the line, Utah Valley found a way to rally. They used a 7-1 run to cut into an early deficit and take a 10-8 lead behind three kills from Sami Blackett, who finished with 18 in the match. UVU and GCU fought off a combined four match points, with the Wolverines having three of their own after kills from Shewell and Blackett. The Lopes fought off the final attempt with a kill from Tatum Parrott after an ace from Molly Cummard. Kaia Herweg went to the service line and made an error before Shewell's game-winning kill, which bounced off the blocker into the second row of the stands for the reverse sweep.
 
Sami Blackett picked up right where she left off on Saturday with six kills in the opening set while adding five digs. The Wolverines took an early 10-8 lead after a block by Eliza Hakes and Bella Wooden during a 4-1 run before a 6-1 spurt to take control with kills by Hakes, Blackett, Wooden, and Shewell. Peoria native Maranda Woolf had one of her eight kills in the match to put UVU in front 17-11. The tides turned for the Lopes as they rallied to take a 24-20 lead before Blackett brought the set back 25-24 before GCU scored the final three points to win 27-25.
 
The runs by the Lopes at the end of the previous set quickly carried over to the second as GCU hit .556 in the second, with WAC Preseason Player of the Year Tatum Parrott recording six of her match-high 29 kills. She finished the match with 68 attacks and 23 digs.
 
Trailing 4-1 in the third set, Sam Atoa called his first timeout, and the Wolverines started their rally. Shewell and Blackett had five kills in the set, while the UVU defense won the battle at the net with five blocks. Chakarova tied the game up at 11-11 with a kill before Shewell had consecutive aces to make it 13-11. A 5-0 run later, with two kills from Blackett and two aces from Natalie Palmer (Gilbert, Ariz.), gave the Wolverines a 19-14 lead. The teams split the final six points for the Utah Valley win.
 
Utah Valley and Grand Canyon traded blows in the fourth set as UVU held multiple leads early in the set, but GCU responded each time to tie. Wooden broke a 13-13 tie with her lone kill during the fourth before The Lopes' Trista Strasser was blocked by Woolf and Blackett. Chakarova's kill paved the way for a final run late in the set with Shewell having four kills down the stretch to send the match to the decisive fifth set.
 
Shewell recorded her 100^th career service ace in the victory. She passed Kazna Tanuvasa for eighth all-time in service aces. The junior also passed Kalani Norris for 11th all-time in kills during the win. Chism finished with 52 assists. It is the second straight match that she has had at least 50 assists and the fourth time this season. Palmer in her first match her home state since 2022 finished with a career-high 17 digs.  
 
The Wolverines host first-place UT Arlington on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 1:00 p.m. MT inside Lockhart Arena. They will then play their next four on the road, starting with trips to Southern Utah (Oct. 31) and Utah Tech (Nov. 2).