UVU WVB: Boise State Hands UVU a 3-0 Defeat Add Comment    Sep 19, 2010

BOISE, Idaho - After winning its last two matches, the Utah Valley University women's volleyball team was looking for its third when it played at Boise State Tuesday night. The Broncos had other ideas though, as they defeated the Wolverines 3-0 (17-25, 23-25 and 23-25).

"It was a very good match, it was disheartening that we lost in three," UVU head coach Sam Atoa said. "I felt like we could of pulled out the second or even third set. We just haven't been able to take care of the ball for the last two points. We've had opportunities but sometimes we end up being a little too cautious and it goes against us."

Boise State (5-2) took a one set to none lead after they managed to pull ahead in the first set and win it by a score of 25-17. Midway through the set with BSU only up three at 15-12, the Broncos then went on a run where they scored six of the next seven points to take a 21-13 advantage. Boise State managed to hold on to the first set as they won by a score of 25-17.

In the second set, UVU (2-5) bounced back immediately as it took an early 4-1 lead on a kill from junior Chelsey Heaps. Later in the set with the Wolverines and Broncos all tied up at 16-all, UVU picked up momentum as it scored three consecutive points to take a 19-16 advantage.

The Wolverines maintained their lead late in the second set, as they still led by three at 22-19 a little later. The Broncos however then rallied as they scored six of the next seven points to win the set 25-23 and take a two sets to none lead.

The Wolverines started strong in a must win third set as they traded blows with the Broncos. Following kills from seniors Kayli Doxey and Lanni O'Reilly UVU went up 10-8. Boise State then countered by scoring three points in a row to take an 11-10 advantage.

With BSU leading 20-18 late in the third, the Wolverines looked to the reigning Great West Conference Player of the Week Doxey. Doxey answered for UVU as she scored the next two points, both on kills to tie the score at 20. UVU then went up 22-21 on a kill from Heaps and another from Doxey. The Broncos then answered by scoring the next three points to take a 24-22 lead. With the match on the line, Doxey scored another point for UVU to cut it to 24-23 but BSU finished the set as it answered with a kill from Breann Nesselhuf to win 25-23.

Doxey led UVU offensively as she finished with 13 kills. Finishing right behind her was fellow senior Dani Robison who tallied 11 kills and hit at an impressive percentage of .412.

"The girls played hard and I was proud of their effort," Atoa added. "We're just going to have to pick ourselves back up and try again. That is the challenge in this sport or any other sport so that we can make it over the hump."

UVU will play three more matches later this week when they will take part in the Arizona State Invitational in Tempe, Ariz., on Friday and Saturday. There, the Wolverines will play UC Riverside, host Arizona State and High Point.

-Utah College Sports News staff and wire reports

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Utah College Sports Wire