RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Utah Valley University fell on Thursday night to California Baptist University, 3-0 (16-25, 19-25, 23-25). CBU (1-12, 1-0) benefited from 21 service aces in the match, with Mia Jerue and Gianna Perez both having seven to help the Lancers win at home. Avery Shewell led UVU (9-4, 0-1) with 14 kills, three aces, and six digs in the defeat.
 
The Lancers had seven service aces in the opening set to help them to a 25-16 opening set. UVU was paced by Sami Blackett, who got off to a nice start with seven kills in her first 14 attacks. CBU used a 9-1 run to take control with a 17-9 lead before holding on to win the opening set.
 
Junior Avery Shewell caught fire in the second set finishing with six kills on 11 swings and added two service aces. The Lancers took a 15-10 lead following three consecutive service aces from Perez. The Wolverines chipped away at the lead as Shewell added a kill before her two service aces made it 16-14, and a kill from Blackett got UVU back within one. Trailing 18-17 CBU used a 3-0 run to push their lead out to 21-17 before a second 3-0 run put the set out of reach.
 
Utah Valley turned up the defense in the third set and took a 5-4 lead following a block assist by Maranda Woolf and Eliza Hakes. Shewell made it 6-4 with a service ace before CBU came back to take a 7-6 lead. A 6-2 scoring run by the Wolverines helped them go up 12-9 with a kill from Evalyn Chism, and an ace from Natalie Palmer ended the run. The lead moved out to a 20-14 edge for UVU with kills from Shewell, Blackett, and Chism, but the Lancers outscored the Wolverines 11-5 down the stretch to seal the win.
 
Blackett finished with ten kills in the match, with Chism adding 26 assists, four kills, and six digs.
 
Utah Valley will travel to Seattle U on Monday, Sept. 30 for a 7:00 p.m. MT contest from the Redhawk Center. They will return home next week for Utah Tech and Grand Canyon.