Following two home losses against UCLA and USC, the University of Utah volleyball team (10-14, 5-9 Pac-12) went on the road to take on the No. 7 Oregon Ducks and the Oregon State Beavers.
No. 7 Oregon
Hoping to get back into the win column, the Utes took on the No. 7 Oregon Ducks. The two teams started the first set off with fierce competition. Down late in the set, the Utes were able to tie the game with back-to-back service aces from Kamryn Gibadlo. Despite the Utes’ valiant effort, a kill by Morgan Lewis won the first set for the Ducks, 26-24.
The Ducks started the second set off on fire, scoring nine points to Utah’s two. Despite the Ducks’ early lead, the Utes found their stride and tied the game at 16. From there, the Utes made a 4-0 run, taking the late lead. Oregon foiled three of Utah’s set-point attempts, eventually tying the game at 24 points a piece. A critical kill by Allie Olsen derailed Oregon’s own set-point opportunity. After further back-and-forth competition, a service ace from Mimi Colyer won the set for Oregon, 29-26.
Looking to win the match, the Ducks started the third set in complete control. Going on a 10-2 run, the Ducks took the early lead and never let go. With a 12-point lead, the Ducks completed the match-winning block, taking the set 25-12 and sweeping the Utes, 3-0.
Oregon St.
Following the loss to No. 7 Oregon, the Utes traveled north to take on the Oregon State Beavers. The Beavers took an early lead in the first set, leading the Utes by four points. Following a Utah timeout, the Utes were able to cut the deficit to two points. Despite the Utes’ comeback efforts, the Beaver continued to grasp the lead. A kill by Peyton Suess won the first set for the Beavers, 25-20.
In the second set, tight competition ensued. Neither team took a lead larger than three points, maintaining the viability of a set-win for both teams. It wasn’t until late in the set that the Utes took complete control of the game. Leading by five, a critical kill from Lauren Jardine won the set for Utah, 25-19.
The Beavers had a strong start in the third set, quickly obtaining a four-point lead. Utah worked to tie the game at 12, but the Beavers’ offense persisted. Oregon State quickly regained the lead. Shortly after, the Utes began to find their stride and once again worked to tie the game. The Utes continued to ride their momentum to a set win. A kill from Amelia Van Der Werff won the set, 25-23.
Up 2-1 in the match, the Utes looked to seal the deal and earn their first win in the month of November. Down to match point, the Beavers started the fourth set on fire. It didn’t take long for the Beavers to take the lead and further extend it. Oregon State led the Utes by as many as 11 points during the set. The Beavers won the set, 25-14 and tied the match at two sets a-piece.
The Beavers started the fifth set with a small lead, which was quickly matched by the Utes. Tied at seven, a service ace from Emily Smith earned the lead for the Utes. Then, the Beavers worked to once again tie the game, then take the lead. Coming out of a timeout down two, the Utes produced a 4-0 run to earn the set. Utah won the set 15-13, and the match, 3-2.
Next Up
This Friday, the Utes will travel south to take on the University of Arizona at 7 p.m. MST. In their last match-up, the Utes won the match in five sets. Then, on Saturday, Utah will take on the Arizona State Sun Devils at 6:30 p.m. MST. The Utes were previously swept by the Sun Devils in October.
