Who | Utah Tech (4-6, 0-0 WAC) vs. California Baptist (7-4, 0-0 WAC)/Grand Canyon (7-4, 0-0 WAC)
When | Thursday, Sept. 21 – 6 p.m. / Saturday, Sept. 23 – 1 p.m.
Where | Burns Arena – St. George, Utah
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers

UTAH TECH/SOUTHERN UTAH INVITATIONAL: Utah Tech went 1-1 over the weekend at the Utah Tech/Southern Utah Invitational defeating Idaho in four sets while falling to Marshall in five sets. Freshman outside hitter Sydney Resse and senior setter Taela Laufiso earned All-Tournament honors with Reese totaling 28 kills in the two matches while Laufiso led the Blazers with 80 assists and added 22 digs and 11 kills.

PAIR OF BATTLES AGAINST THE 'DOGS: The Trailblazers battled the Fresno State Bulldogs in a pair of matches on Sept. 8-9 falling in four sets on Friday and in five sets on Saturday. Kennedi Knudsen led the team with her second double-double of the season in the second contest finishing with 18 kills and 12 digs along with two service aces, an assist and a block.

BLAZERS ENTERING FOURTH SEASON OF WAC PLAY: The Trailblazers are entering their fourth season of WAC play after finishing in a tie for ninth in the WAC last season with Sam Houston State with a 5-9 mark. The Blazers went 6-8 in 2021 placing sixth in the West Division and posted an 8-8 mark in their first season of WAC play in the spring of 2021 tying for fourth with Tarleton State.

UTAH TECH SERIES vs. LANCERS: The Trailblazers and Lancers have met 20 times in series history with California Baptist leading 13-7. The Blazers have a 6-5 record at home against CBU, who swept the Trailblazers at home last season.

UTAH TECH SERIES vs. LOPES: The Blazers and Lopes have met 21 times with Grand Canyon leading 13-8. Utah Tech leads the series, 5-4 at home with the Lopes sweeping the Blazers last season in St. George.

A LOOK AT THE LANCERS: California Baptist went 7-4 in non-conference action with wins over CSUN and Milwaukee and have won five in a row defeating Nevada, Oregon State, UC Riverside, UC Irvine & Fullerton.

The Lancers, who went 12-14 in 2022 and 7-7 in the WAC, tied for sixth in the conference with New Mexico State. CBU ranks second in the WAC in service aces per set (1.96), digs (718), service aces (92) and total attacks (1,642). The Lancers also check in third in assists per set (11.66) & digs per set (15.28) and fourth in hitting percentage (.228), kills per set (12.55), assists (548) and kills (590).

Individually, Michalina Rola leads the WAC in aces (24) and is second in aces per set (0.51) while Lauren Walewska is fourth in total blocks (43).

A LOOK AT THE ANTELOPES: Grand Canyon is 7-4 in non-conference action winning its last three contests with sweeps over Iowa, Fullerton and UC Irvine. The Antelopes also have wins over Northeastern, Toledo, Long Island & Missouri State.

Grand Canyon posted an 18-11 record and tied for third in the WAC with Utah Valley. As a team, GCU leads the WAC in service aces (95), aces per set (2.38), eighth in the nation, and hitting percentage (.263). Individually, Tatum Parrott leads the WAC in aces per set (0.54) & kills per set (4.11) and is second in attacks per set (10.78) & points (189.0). Setter Klaire Mitchell ranks second in the WAC in assists per set (9.72).

WAC RANKINGS: The Blazers are tied for second in the WAC in opposing hitting percentage (.155), fourth in blocks per set (2.07) & blocks (89.0), fifth in digs per set (14.14) & service aces (68) and sixth in kills (509). Sophomore Kennedi Knudsen ranks 10th in the WAC in kills (2.88).

UP NEXT: The Blazers head out on the road next week traveling to UT Rio Grande Valley on Sept. 30 before hosting Southern Utah on Oct. 2.