If there ever was a perfect time to be playing at an indomitable level, this is it for the University of Utah?s volleyball team.
Utah has not dropped a game in its last four matches, and completely dominated the Weber State Wildcats Tuesday night.
Wildcats coach Al Givens summed up the match bluntly, saying, ?Utah was better than we were tonight.?
Not only was Utah better, it outplayed Weber in every facet of the match. The final score was not indicative of the actual beating the Utes dished out, as they won 30-20, 30 18, 30-21.
Ute coach Beth Launiere is ecstatic with her team?s play as of late, as exemplified with the Weber contest.
?I am really, really, really pleased how we have won these last few matches,? she said.
Offensively, the Utes had unbelievable statistical numbers. As a team, the Utes had an attack percentage of .462, which was just short of the school record of .463.
Launiere believes the outstanding team numbers only mean one thing: ?We are flowing really well right now and we need to keep that mentality.?
Individually, the usual suspects played at an amazing level. McKelle Stilson had match-highs with an astonishing attack percentage of .846 and added 11 kills.
Katrena Ellett tied Stilson with 11 kills and had a killing percentage of .500. Kim Turner came through with 10 kills and a great killing percentage of . 750.
Mountain West Conference Player of the Week Sylva Strzinkov added 9 kills and posted a killing percentage of .412.
?They outplayed us in every statistical category,? Givens said.
Weber State could not hold a candle to the numbers the Utes put up. The killing percentage for the Wildcats was a mere .157.
Only two WSU players had five or more kills, and the same two were the only ones who had killing percentages over .300.
Junior outside hitter Stephanie Metcalf needed to come through for Weber to put up a challenge against the Utes., but she was completely outplayed, as she had 4 kills and a miserable killing percentage of .062.
?They served right at Stephanie and took her completely out of the match,? Givens said.
Not only did the Utes take out Metcalf, they also took out Kris Hollingsworth, Holly Montano and Stephanie Kropushek.
Much of Weber’s offensive woes can be attributed to the overwhelming Ute defense.
Strzinkov and Lenka Urbanov led the match in digs with 7 and 9, respectively.
The Utes will need to carry over this play to Friday when they play 13th-ranked BYU at Crimson Court.
Utah beating BYU is more than realistic now, according to Givens.
?If they get on a roll, they can steamroll teams, and I think they will beat BYU Friday,? he said.