UVU drops five set match to defending champs

Attack errors hurt Wolverines

Annie Hansen | Sports writer | @anniejhansen

Kansas City, MO – Despite 14 kills from Lauren Bakker and a double-double by Lexi Thompson, The Utah Valley Wolverines fell prey to attack errors and lost to WAC defending champion UMKC Saturday afternoon in five sets (22-25, 25-20, 17-25, 12-15).
In a close first set, UVU had the lead at 10-5. A UVU service error gave UMKC the opportunity to score six consecutive points to tie at 11-11. Then battling between points, the Wolverines dropped the first set by three points.
Utah Valley came back in the second set to win a close one at 25-23. With the advantage at 23-19 the Kangaroos scored four consecutive points to keep it close at 23-22. The Wolverines scored on kills by Bakker and Sierra Starley to take the set.
UVU build a 17-10 lead following a 10-1 run in the third set. UMKC didn’t take long to respond to bring the set to a 22-20 game for the Wolverines. With three attack errors on UMKC and a kill by UVU, the Wolverines took the third set 25-20.
The Kangaroos started off the fourth set well taking and holding the lead the whole set. UVU fell behind at 20-13 and couldn’t make a run as UMKC took the fourth set by eight points.
In the final frame the teams battled and kept the set close. UVU tied the set at 12-12. However UMKC came back and scored on two kills and an attack error from UVU to win the set 15-12.
As the Wolverines tried to hold out, they suffered from attack errors in all sets, especially the fifth.
Despite the attack errors, three Wolverines finished the match in double figures in kills. Bakker had a team-him 14 kills, Thompson had 12 kills and added 12 digs to record the double-double and Madison Dennison had 11 kills.
Standing at 1-1 in the WAC, the Wolverines will return to Orem to play CSU Bakersfield Thursday Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. MT