OREM, Utah – Utah Valley women's volleyball travels this week for a pair of matches in Southern Utah. They will meet the Thunderbirds of SUU for the first time this season on Thursday, Oct. 31, at 6:30 p.m. MT before closing out the weekend by playing Utah Tech in the Old Hammer Rivalry on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 7:00 p.m. MT.
The Wolverines are coming off a split last weekend with the top teams in the WAC. They traveled to Phoenix and reverse-swept GCU on their home floor.
Avery Shewell returned to the court after missing a couple of matches and finished with 24 kills and 17 digs to lead UVU. Arizona natives helped Utah Valley get the job done with
Natalie Palmer finishing with a career-high 17 digs.
Maranda Woolf led the team in blocks with six, and
Molly Cummard added two key service aces.
On Saturday, Utah Valley was defeated in five sets by UT Arlington.
Sami Blackett finished with a match-high 23 kills and added 12 digs. The Mavericks answered and figured out their offensive woes from the first two sets. Setter
Evalyn Chism finished with 49 assists and finished one shy of her third consecutive match with 50 or more assists.
Lani Matavao had a pair of service aces as UVU won the battle of the aces at 6-2.
BROADCAST PLANS
Thursday's contest at Southern Utah will air on ESPN+, with Saturday's finale airing on WAC International. The broadcast will be free, but viewers must create a free account to watch. Live stats will be available for both matches.
SCOUTING THE THUNDERBIRDS
Southern Utah is 8-13 and 4-6 in the WAC. They have been tough in Cedar City, with a 7-2 record at home this season, but they have lost five in a row. Graduate outside hitter Andrea Spasojevic leads SUU in kills (266), aces (31), and digs (303). Senior Carissa Richie leads them in hitting percentage (.254) and blocks (44). UVU has won the last five meetings and holds an 11-2 all-time record against them.
SCOUTING THE TRAILBLAZERS
Utah Tech picked up their first all-time win in Orem last month and are 13-7 with a 7-3 record in their first ten WAC matches. The Trailblazers have a balanced attack led by outside Kennedi Knudsen, who has tallied 272 kills this season. Middle Lusia Langi has a .319 hitting percentage this season, with libero Mya Laufiso leading them with 25 aces and 265 digs. Keep an eye on Cassidy Fried, who is in the middle and has been tough on opposing hitters with 104 blocks this season.
BEST BLOCKING
Utah Valley continues to maintain its reputation as one of the top blocking teams in the country. They have led the WAC in total blocks three out of the last four years and look to keep that title again this season. UVU enters this weekend No. 9 in team total blocks with 231.5 and No. 11 in blocks per set at 2.82.
Utah Valley junior middle blocker
Bella Wooden ranks No. 2 nationally in blocks per set. She averages 1.63 blocks per set and only trails Boston College's Julia Haggerty in that category. Wooden has tallied 132 blocks and trails Haggerty for the national lead with 154.
CLIMBING THE RECORD BOOKS
Junior
Avery Shewell moved into the Top 10 in career kills (857). On Saturday, she passed Chelsea Heaps for tenth all-time. She needs 75 kills to pass Lexi Thompson for ninth and eight aces and nine aces to move into seventh all-time.
UP NEXT
Utah Valley will make its second of three trips to Texas this season, starting with a match against Abilene Christian on Nov. 7 and a rematch with first-place UT Arlington on Nov. 9.
