Sept. 2, 2012

UVU Match Notes

OREM, Utah -- After having a rare weekend off, the Utah Valley University volleyball team will return to the court Tuesday at 7 p.m. when it welcomes in-state foe Weber State to the PE Building for its 2012 home opener.

"It will be a fun atmosphere against Weber State on Tuesday," said UVU head coach Sam Atoa. "Both of us will really want to win so it should be a great competition."

The match for the Wolverines (1-3) will be their first since falling to University of Utah in straight sets in Salt Lake City last Tuesday. It will also mark UVU's only home match until mid-October.

The contest will feature live stats and live video that can be accessed by visiting www.WolverineGreen.com and will also be televised live locally on UVU-TV and rebroadcast nationally on Fox College Sports Pacific on Sept. 6 at 8:30 p.m. MT. Kevin Kassel and Steve Vail will have the call.

The Wolverines began their season by defeating Cal State Northridge before falling to Evansville and Arizona at the Wildcat Classic on Aug. 24-25 in Tucson, Ariz. Junior setter Brookelyn Hall and freshman middle blocker Lauren Stringham were both named to the classic's All-Tournament Team as well as being named the Great West Conference's Players of the Week on Aug. 27.

On the season junior outside hitter Lindsay Morrell leads the Wolverines with 36 kills and a 2.77 kill per set average. Hall is tops on the club in assists with 132 (9.43 assist/set average), while Stringham leads UVU in blocks with 14 (1.0 block/set average) and junior libero Patti Hatch leads in digs with 42 (3.0 dig/set average).

About Weber State
Weber State, who was selected to finish 10th in the Big Sky Preseason Poll, went just 3-26 a year ago but is already 2-4 this season.

The Wildcats have wins over Portland and Alabama State and are coming off of 1-2 weekend at the Cougar Challenge in Pullman, Wash. There, WSU defeated the Lady Hornets in straight sets but fell to host Washington State in three and Seattle University in five.

WSU is led in kills by sophomore outside hitter Audrey Biggs with 51 (2.55 kill/set average) and in blocks by junior middle blocker Briana Wilms with 21 (1.05 block/set average).

Tuesday will mark the 14th all-time meeting between UVU and Weber State with the Wolverines leading the series 7-6. Utah Valley has won the last three meetings, including a 3-0 sweep in Orem in 2010.

Up Next for the Wolverines
The Wolverines begin a 12-match stretch away from home by taking part in the Fresno State Classic this weekend. UVU will face UC Davis Friday at 6 p.m. before taking on Sacramento State Saturday at 11 a.m. and the host Bulldogs Saturday at 8 p.m.