Utah Tech volleyball down Sam Houston State in four sets Thursday evening. 

What head coach Camilla Hafoka said: "Tonight was a great team win. Our women executed the game plan. They played together and for each other and when we do that, we do some great things. I'm really proud of how they performed." 
 
How it happened: Utah Tech started the first set off with an 8-3 jump on Sam Houston. The Bearkats made a surge and tied it up at 8-8. Later, UT pushed on for a 19-15 lead. To end the first set, UT capitalized on a Sam Houston service error and then Whittnee Nihipali slammed down a kill to end it 25-22. Sam Houston had six service errors in the first set to Utah Tech's one. 

Sam Houston got an early 10-6 lead over Utah Tech to start the second set. SHSU kept the lead the entire second set except for the final points. Utah Tech was trailing 22-17 and made a massive push at the end of the set and went on a 10-2 run with six unanswered points to end the set 26-24. 

The third set was a back-and-forth battle with Utah Tech starting with an 8-5 lead and Sam Houston coming back to tie it up at 12-12. The Trailblazers went on a 5-0 run to take an 18-14 lead but the Bearkats finished the set on a 5-0 run to claim it 25-22. 

With the 2-1 match advantage, the Trailblazers wasted no time getting a 12-9 jump on the Bearkats in the fourth set. Utah Tech never gave up the lead in the rest of the set. Late in the set UT went on a 5-0 run to bring things to set point and a kill by Kate Hardy ended the match giving the Trailblazers the 25-18 fourth set and overall match win. 

Killin' It: Nihipali led the way with 15 kills from 51 attacks and just two errors for a .255 percentage. Kate Hardy also recorded double digit kills with 12 from 33 attacks. Chayse Daugherty added 11 kills. 

In total, Utah Tech had 50 kills with 23 errors from 176 attacks for a .153 percentage. 

Taela Laufiso led the Trailblazers with 38 assists on the night. 

Diggin' it: Utah Tech had four Trailblazers record double digit digs. Mykenna Nelson  led with 28 on the night while Nihipali and Laufiso each had 18 for UT. Emma Ricks also posted double digit digs with 10.  In total Utah Tech had 93 digs. 

Notes to know: Utah Tech is now 9-7 overall on the season and 3-4 in WAC action. 

Next Up: The Trailblazers will stay on the road to take on Utah Valley Oct. 20 before hosting four consecutive games starting with Seattle U Oct. 22 and Southern Utah Oct. 29.