UVU sweeps ACU 3-0, keeps tournament hopes alive

The Utah Valley Volleyball team dominated the Abilene Christian Wildcats in a three-set sweep (25-18, 25-23, 25-20) moving to 8-14 overall, and 5-6 in conference play.  

A back-and-forth beginning to the game gave way to a big UVU lead as a Tori Ellis led run would push the Wolverines lead to 9-5. 

Service and attacking errors would hamper the Wildcats early and UVU would use this momentum to push their lead to 14-7. 

UVU was playing exceptionally well, especially on the defensive side of the ball, going on another 4-0 run with the majority of those points coming from blocks.

Ellis had a dominant game, ending the game with 13 kills and 11 blocks, with many of those key blocks coming in this first set. 

Unfortunately, Abilene Christian would go on a run of their own, bringing the game within four. 

Utah Valley retook control and answered with some incredibly timely kills to keep the set out of reach. An Ace by Molly Cummard would seal the dominant set for the wolverines, giving them a 25-18 win. 

The Wildcats would start off the second set with two quick points, but those would be immediately answered by a 5-0 UVU run, highlighted by an incredible rally capped off by yet another Ellis kill and a Abby Medeiros ace. 

Abilene Christian would keep it close however, bringing the game back to even behind a stellar performance by Ashli Edmiston. 

UVU was locked in however and would not let Abilene Christian come from behind. UVU would thunder ahead to a 15-11 lead. Once again defense was the name of the game for the Wolverines who ended the game with a mind boggling 21 blocks. 

Caleigh Vagana was a huge part of that defensive effort, ending the game with 10 blocks. ACU was persistent however and wouldn’t let this set go without a fight, Abilene Christian head coach would use all of the Wildcats challenges this set, but unfortunately it was to no avail. 

UVU would stay ahead, using this stalwart defensive effort to take the set, ACU would go on a final run to bring the score within two, but it wasn’t enough as the Wolverines would take the set 25-23. 

UVU would start off the final set hot, immediately jumping out to a quick lead, a lead they would hold and extend thanks, once again, to timely Wolverine blocks. The final set would remain close however, until a monster 6-0 run would propel the wolverines ahead to a 12-18 lead.

The Wildcats would fight back however, bringing the set to within three, but as was commonplace tonight. Two final blocks, one by Ellis, and Avery Shewell, UVU would put the Wildcats hopes of a victory to rest, ending the set and the game with a final score of 25-20. The game simply couldn’t have ended any other way. 

The star of the show tonight was definitely the Wolverines defense at the net, they simply dominated, and this effort gave UVU a statement  win over the WAC conference opponent Abilene Christian. 

The Wolverines will hope to continue their winning ways this Saturday, Oct 28. At home versus Tarleton State.  The Game will be broadcast on ESPN+.