Wolverines Drop Decisions to Maryland & Mizzou, Open Season 0-3 Add Comment    Sep 19, 2010

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Utah Valley women's volleyball team fell to 0-3 on Saturday when they dropped two 3-0 decisions, one to the Missouri Tigers (18-25, 12-25, 21-25) and the other to the Maryland Terps (19-25, 27-29, 23-25) at the Tiger Invitational.

Following the matches, UVU senior libero Kathleen Stevens was named to the All-Tournament team after she had a good showing on the court for the Wolverines. She finished with a match-high of 13 digs against Mizzou.

"This weekend we learned that we can play and we can compete but we have to be better at sustaining it throughout the match," UVU head coach Sam Atoa said. "There were moments where we played very, very well and then others where we didn't. Hopefully we can capitalize on those areas of the game that we did well at so they can help carry us at our upcoming competitions."

"Sometimes defense doesn't get much recognition but I'm proud of Kat (Stevens). I felt like she contributed well at giving us second and third opportunities as she played some very good defense. I also was very pleased with Brookelyn's (Campbell) play this weekend. It was her first tournament and there is a lot of pressure for a setter but I thought the freshman did a nice job."

In set number one UVU started out with a quick 3-0 lead thanks to some fine serving from Stevens. The Wolverines went back up by three at 6-3 when freshman Brookelyn Campbell scored a kill. That was the last time UVU would lead by that much in the set as Mizzou (3-0) eventually caught up and went on to win the set 25-18.

The Tigers continued to score the ball in set number two as they quickly built a decent lead over UVU. The only tie the Wolverines managed in the set was when they scored on a junior Jaicee Kuresa kill to knot it at one-all. Mizzou took control of the set from their on and went on to win it 25-12.

In a win-or-go-home third set, the Wolverines were focused early as they took a 10-7 lead after a kill from sophomore Erica Nish. The set then went back-and-forth until it was tied at 15-all. After that Mizzou did what they had to do to get the victory and the Tiger Invitational title as they went on to win the final set 25-21.

Senior Kayli Doxey just missed a double-double as she finished the match with 11 kills and nine digs.

Earlier in the day against Maryland, the Wolverines got off to a good start and took an early 2-0 lead in set number one on kills from senior Kayli Doxey and junior Sarah Clement. Maryland (2-1) quickly battled back to tie the score at four and eight-all. From there the Terps managed to take control of the set as they went on to win it by a score of 25-19.

In very tightly contested second set, UVU never trailed by more than four points. With Maryland leading 23-21 late, the Wolverines scored the next two points to tie it at 23. From there each team matched one another's every move as the score went back-and-forth until it was tied at 27-apeice. Maryland then scored on a kill by Maddi Lee to go up 28-27 and ended the set on an attack error by UVU junior Jaicee Kuresa.

In the final set the Wolverines trailed by as many as five points at 18-13. There, UVU quickly answered by scoring seven of the next nine points to tie the score at 20-all on a service ace from Stevens. UVU then knotted the scores at 22 and 23-all on a Doxey and senior Dani Robison kills but the Terps immediately answered with two Mary Cushman kills of their own to pull out the sweep.

Doxey had a good offensive match for the Wolverines as she finished with a match-high 18 kills and an even .500 hitting percentage. Stevens and freshman Brookelyn Campbell tied for the tops in digs as they both had 11, Campbell also added 28 assists.

UVU's next match is a highly anticipated rematch against the University of Utah on Tuesday at 7 p.m., in Salt Lake City. Last season the Wolverines upset the No. 17 ranked Utes 3-1, to pick up their biggest win in school history.

-Utah College Sports News staff and wire reports

Article written by

Utah College Sports Wire