Utah Tech volleyball opened WAC action with a three set loss to Utah Valley Thursday evening.  

What Head Coach Camilla Hafoka said: "We lost the serve and pass game tonight. When we can't serve and pass, it's hard to win matches. The sun will come up tomorrow and it'll be a new day where we work to improve."
 
How it happened: A block by Isabelle Iosua and Whittnee Nihipali started the match off in favor of Utah Tech. The Trailblazers then took the first three points of the set. The two teams went point for point in the early stages of the set. Later, trailing 13-12, UT went on a 5-1 run to take a 17-14 lead. A pair of Trailblazer errors pushed the momentum in favor of the Wolverines as UVU went on an 11-3 run to close out the set. UVU claimed the first set with a 25-20 score. 

Utah Valley jumped out to an early 7-4 lead over Utah Tech in the second set. Utah Tech pushed back to tie the set up at 10-10 before the Wolverines went on a 7-2 run to take a 17-13 lead. Despite a pair of big kills from Nihipali, UT couldn't recapture any momentum and UVU went away with a 25-19 second set win. 

In the third set the Wolverines captured a 9-4 lead. Utah Tech kept pushing and gained some momentum that was sparked by a Kendyl Holt kill for an 11-8 score. Iosua and Kate Hardy also had kills to help bring the score within one point at a 13-12 score. Utah Valley kept the Trailblazers at bay never giving up the lead and claimed the third set 25-20. 

Killin' It: Nihipali led UT with 13 kills from 26 attacks with five errors for a .308 percentage on the night. Utah Tech ended the night with 32 total kills from 93 attacks with 17 errors for a .161 percentage. 

Taela Laufsio had 26 assists to add to the Trailblazers offensive efforts. 

Diggin' it: Mykenna Nelson led UT in digs with 1 2 in the match. In total Utah Tech had 32 digs. Nelson has recorded double digit digs in every match so far this season. 

Notes to know: Utah Tech is now 6-4 overall on the season.  

Next Up: The Trailblazers will head  to Southern Utah to take on the Thunderbirds Saturday, Sept. 24. UT will then hit the road to UTRGV Sept. 29 and New Mexico State Oct. 1.