No. 21 Utah volleyball dropped the opening set to Utah Valley but quickly found its rhythm, rallying to win the next three (24-26, 25–22, 25–22, 25–15) in a 3–1 win at the Jon M. Huntsman Center last Tuesday.
The Utes leaned on senior Emrie Moea’i, who finished with 16 kills, providing both production and leadership with several teammates limited by illness. Neea-Maria Joki and Levani Key-Powell each added 13 kills, while setter Leah Wilton-LaBoy directed the offense with a career high 50 assists.
Head coach Beth Launiere said the team had to fight through both lineup shuffling and self-inflicted mistakes.
“We had a makeshift lineup all night with players sick, and that made us a little slow to start,” Launiere said. “But once we got more comfortable, we started rolling. Honestly, I’m so proud of the players — everyone contributed. Iliana [Linahan] was great defensively, Joki gave us a spark, Leah nearly had 50 assists. Once we stopped missing serves, we were able to settle in and play our game.”
For Moea’i, the night was about embracing her role as a senior when the team needed her most.
“It was just an honor,” Moea’i said. “My role has changed a little this year, so being able to step up and take some pressure off others felt good. I just wanted to help my teammates, and I’m excited for how our connections with the setters keep developing.”
The win pushed Utah to 5–1 ahead of a marquee matchup in Lincoln, Nebraska, against the nation’s top-ranked Cornhuskers. The trip carried history for the Utes — the last time they visited Lincoln, in 2021, they stunned Nebraska with a comeback win after falling behind two sets. But this year, the Husker Invitational was a mixed bag. Utah fell 1-3 to Nebraska on Friday, with a redeeming 3-0 match against Drake Saturday.
Looking ahead, Utah volleyball will head down to San Luis Obispo for a three-game series from Thursday, Sept. 18 through Saturday, Sept. 20.
