UVU WVB: UVU Wins Five-Set Thriller Against Air Force Add Comment    Sep 19, 2010

OREM, Utah - In a thrilling five-set match with the Air Force Academy in Orem on Friday, Utah Valley's women's volleyball team came back from a 2-0 deficit to win its first match of the season 3-2 (21-25, 21-25, 25-17, 25-21 and 15-10).

"Fortunately for us today was that it was the best out of five," UVU head coach Sam Atoa said. We just couldn't seem to get anything going early on; we couldn't pass, we couldn't set and we couldn't get any momentum. Air Force played well and they really took us out of rhythm early on."

"After the second set though, we turned into a completely different team and we played completely different in all areas of the game. The momentum that we gained at the beginning of the third set really seemed to help us. When you get on runs and build that momentum it really helps."

UVU (1-4) senior Kayli Doxey and junior Chelsey Heaps both had double-doubles to help the Wolverines pickup their first victory of the season. Doxey finished with a match-high 21 kills and 11 digs, while Heaps added 12 kills and 17 digs. Juniors Sarah Clement and Jaicee Kuresa also reached double figures in kills as they had 12 and 11 respectively. Freshman setter Brookelyn Campbell led the match in sets with an impressive 55, while seniors Kathleen Stevens led it in digs with 30 and Dani Robison in blocks with six.

With their backs against the wall entering the third set, the Wolverines didn't waste any time getting out to an early lead as they went up 5-1. UVU then extended its lead to 9-3 on three consecutive service aces by Doxey. The Wolverines continued to extend on their lead in the set as they took an eight-point advantage at 16-8 on a Doxey kill.

Clement then got hot for UVU as she connected on back-to-back kills to put the Wolverines up 18-9. UVU eventually led by as many as 10 a couple of times late in the set, as they went on to win the third set by a score of 25-17.

In another must-win set for UVU, the Wolverines went up 7-4 in the fourth set on a block from Doxey and Clement. AFA (1-5) came right back to knot the score up at seven though as it scored three consecutive points. The Wolverines managed to go back ahead at 15-11 on consecutive kills from freshman Campbell and Robison.

Air Force battled back and got within two at 20-18 but the Wolverines then scored three of the next four points to take a 23-19 lead. UVU then put the fourth set away at 25-21 on a Robison kill to tie the overall score at two sets apiece.

In the decisive fifth set, the Wolverines started strong as they took a 9-5 lead. With UVU leading 12-8 and sensing victory, Air Force's Caroline Kurtz connected on back-to-back kills to cut the score to 12-10. UVU immediately struck back with three straight points to win the set and the match. The Wolverines scored their final two points on a powerful kill from Doxey and a big block from Robison and Campbell.

In an evenly matched first set, UVU built its largest lead at 13-10 on an AFA service error. The Falcons came right back scoring three unanswered points to tie the set at 13. Air Force eventually took control of the set late as it went up 24-20 on a Wolverine miscue. With their backs against the wall, UVU's Heaps scored a big kill to cut the score to 24-21. That was all UVU could muster as a Wolverine service error ended the set in a 25-21 Falcon victory.

As a team in the first set UVU scored 16 kills to Air Force's six but the Wolverines committed 11 errors helping the Falcons take set one.

Air Force continued to be the aggressor early in set number two as they took a 9-6 advantage. UVU quickly came back though as they scored five of the next six points to tie the score at 11-all, the final two points came from back-to-back kills by Doxey.

From there, the score went back-and-forth until late when AFA took a 23-19 lead. The Wolverines fought back as they scored two more points, one a kill from Heaps and the other a Falcon service error to take the score to 24-21. AFA put set number two away on the very next point thanks to a UVU error

The Wolverines will be back in action at the Activity Center in Orem on Saturday, when they host Fresno State at 1 p.m. The match will be televised locally on UVU-TV (Comcast Ch. 17) as well as streamed live online at www.WolverineGreen.com

-Utah College Sports News staff and wire reports

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Utah College Sports Wire