Mountain West Conference road trips have been few and far between for the University of Utah’s volleyball team this season. Most matches have been played at home?until now.
Utah’s last road match took place at Wyoming on Oct. 4, which initiated a winning streak of seven matches.
The Utes will be leaving town for the weekend to square off against conference foes New Mexico and Air Force.
“Traveling in the Mountain West is always tough, and it does not matter who you play?You need to focus,” Ute coach Beth Launiere said.
But on paper, Air Force and New Mexico are not teams that will provide the Utes with much of a challenge.
New Mexico has a conference record of 1-8, its only win coming against Air Force.
The Lobos lack individual talent as only one player has appeared in any top 10 individual statistical category in the Mountain West Conference.
Kelly Griffin is the only player in a major statistical category. Griffin is seventh in assists with 8.18 per game.
The talent disparity looms large over this match. Utah should be able to completely dominate the Lobos.
But New Mexico does have ties to the Ute program. Utah assistant coach Matt McShane has ties with the Lobos, as he was a member of the coaching staff last season.
The Air Force Falcons haven’t had any success this season. Air Force owns a 26-match conference losing streak and, in all probability, will extend that streak this weekend as BYU and Utah come into town.
Air Force does have a few bright spots. Delavane Diaz is leading the team with 3.38 kills per game. Kristin Huitt leads setting with 7.74 assists per game.
However, the Falcons do not have the ability to muster enough effort to compete with the Utes.
Coach Launiere wants her players to focus on their games. “We have to work on things on our side of the net and fix problems we have been having to become a better team,” Launiere said.
She talked about specific items that needed to be addressed. “Our defense on the back row attack needs to be addressed for us to get better,” Launiere said.
The Ute dominance at the net will be enough to only play six games this weekend, or two wins in straight sets.
Considering Sylva Strzinkov and Kim Turner winning Mountain West Player of the Week awards and McKelle Stilson coming through for the Utes in the clutch, the Utes should have no problem with either Air Force or New Mexico.
However, the team remains at a humble mind-set. “We have to take it one game at a time instead of looking forward to the win,” Strzinkov said.
It should not matter. This is the easiest road trip the Utes will compete in all season and should take advantage of it.