Best season ending with Independent tournament

With the most wins at the NCAA Division I level already in the books, and the regular season out of the way with a game against Nevada Saturday, the women’s volleyball team turns to the Independent Championship.

Utah Valley (18-9) will play host to five other schools this weekend for the two-day tournament.

A year ago, Utah Valley lost in the championship game to Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne 3-1.

Senior Jessica Endres and junior Camie Manwill have led Utah Valley all season.

Endres leads the way in kills (402) and hitting percentage (.350), while Manwill is second in kills (343) and Digs (340).
Allyce Wilson and Endres have both played 104 games for the Wolverines.

Utah Valley is 5-0, 2-0 against Texas-Pan American and Cal State Bakersfield and 1-0 against NJIT, against other teams in the tournament.

Utah Valley’s season-high winning streak of seven games in the middle of the season was snapped by BYU. But the Wolverines won four straight after that game, including the two over Cal State.

CSU Bakersfield
Cal State enters the tournament on a three-game losing streak, dropping all three to California schools. With only six wins on the season, the Roadrunners aren’t packing much of a punch for the Independent tournament. Utah Valley won both contests in Bakersfield 3-0, 3-2.

Chicago State
For the Cougars this volleyball season had a pretty dismal start as the team lost 19-of-20 games to open the season. Chicago State’s first win against Lehigh came nine games into the season. Utah Valley swept the Cougars in October. The Wolverines might not face the Cougars in the tournament if they win both games and advance to the championship game Saturday.

NJIT
To start the season, the Highlanders looked a lot like Chicago State. NJIT lost nine in a row to start 2007 but turned things around a little better, not by much though, only winning eight this season. Utah Valley beat the Highlanders 3-1, and unless Utah Valley slips up or NJIT goes on a run, Utah Valley won’t face the Highlanders.

Providence
Providence has as many wins this season as Utah Valley, with 18, but it is 1-1 against other Independents. The Friars dropped a five-game match to NJIT at the end of October. Utah Valley hasn’t faced Providence this season but will get the chance to beat another Independent in both teams’ first game. The Friars are 3-2 their last five games heading into the tournament.

Texas-Pan American
With 10 wins this year, the Broncs head into the tournament with hopes of making a run at the Independent title. The Broncs lost both matches to Utah Valley but handled Chicago State in their two other games against tournament teams. Utah Valley faces Texas-Pan American in its second match on the first day of the tournament.

Tournament schedule
Nov. 16
Texas-Pan American vs. Providence, 9 a.m.

NJIT vs. Chicago State, 11 a.m.

Utah Valley vs. Providence, 1 p.m.

CSU Bakersfield vs. Chicago State, 4 p.m.

Utah Valley vs. Texas-Pan American, 6 p.m.

CSU Bakersfield vs. NJIT, 8 p.m.

Nov. 17
5th place match, 1 p.m.
3rd place match 3:30 p.m.
Championship Match, 6 p.m.