Women's Volleyball | 10/17/2024 9:35:00 AM

Who | Utah Tech (10-7, 4-3 WAC) vs. Southern Utah (8-10, 4-3 WAC)
When | Monday, Oct. 21 – 6 p.m.
Where | Burns Arena - St. George, Utah
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers

OPENING SERVE
Utah Tech is coming off a sweep over California Baptist at home on Saturday after falling in four sets to Grand Canyon on Thursday.

The Trailblazers took sets, 25-23, 25-21, 25-15 over the Lancers with Kennedi Knudsen and Tessa Treanor leading the way with eight kills apiece while Mya Laufiso led the charge with 15 digs.

In the contest against the Lopes, Laufiso tallied a career-high 26 digs while Knudsen totaled 11 kills. Casidy Fried added a season-high 10 blocks as the Blazers won the third set before GCU dominated the fourth set to complete the victory.

DOUBLE DIGIT WIN SEASONS
For the second time in the Trailblazers' five seasons in Division I, Utah Tech has already reached double digit wins with 10 victories.

The Blazers posted 11 wins in 2022 and with 10 regular season matches remaining, UT will look to set a new top wins mark this week with a pair of wins against the Mavericks and Thunderbirds.

WAC RANKINGS
The Trailblazers lead the WAC in opposing hitting percentage (.156) and rank third in blocks per set (2.70), kills per set (12.41) and total blocks (165.0).

Utah Tech sits fourth in the WAC in aces per set (1.54), assists per set (11.39), digs per set (14.13) and hitting percentage (.201).

Individually, junior Casidy Fried has been a stalwart at the net checking in second in blocks per set (1.38) and ranks fourth in total blocks (83).

Knudsen, who has led the Trailblazers in kills in 14 of 16 matches this season, ranks fourth in the conference in kills (216) and is sixth in kills per set (3.54).

Laufiso checks in sixth in the WAC in digs (224) and has led the Blazers in digs in 11 matches.

LAUFISO EARNS SECOND WAC WEEKLY HONOR
Sophomore libero/defensive specialist Mya Laufiso earned her second WAC Libero of the Week honor on Wednesday after totaling 41 digs in two matches last week, including a career-high 26 in a four-set battle against Grand Canyon.

She also earned the honor on Sept. 18 after her performance at the College of Charleston Classic.

HOWARD MOVING UP CAREER RANKS
Redshirt senior opposite hitter Hannah Howard continues to move up the career ranks in both kills (663 - 4th) and attacks (1,931 - 8th).

Howard has tallied double-digit kills in five contests with a season-high 13 at Gonzaga on Sept. 6.

A LOOK AT UT ARLINGTON
UT Arlington sports a 16-2 overall record on the season with a perfect 6-0 mark in the WAC. The Mavericks, who have won seven straight contests, host Grand Canyon on Thursday and have only dropped a pair of matches to then-No. 23 TCU and Rice. 

UTA leads the WAC in hitting percentage (.265), assists per set (12.70) and kills per set (13.60)

Individually, graduate student setter Mollie Blank leads the WAC in assists per set (10.73) and assists (665).

Graduate student outside hitter Brianna Ford, who has been tabbed the WAC Player of the Week three times this season, also sits atop the WAC and ranks in the top 25 in the country in kills per set (4.57) and kills (279).

SERIES HISTORY VS. UT ARLINGTON
The Trailblazers and Mavericks have played twice in program history with Utah Tech leading the series, 2-0. The Blazers won a five-set win battle at home over UTA in 2023 coming back from an 0-2 deficit to complete a reverse sweep. UT won the first meeting between the two programs in a five-set contest in Arlington in 2022.

A LOOK AT SOUTHERN UTAH
The Thunderbirds are 8-9 overall & 4-2 in the WAC and topped the Trailblazers in five sets at home on Oct. 5.    

SUU, who is 1-3 on the road, will head to Seattle U on Thursday before traveling to St. George on Monday.

The Thunderbirds are second in the WAC in attacks per set (35.48), while ranking third in assists per set (11.66), digs per set (14.18) and team digs (879).    

Individually, senior setter Teniyah Leuluai checks in third in both assists per set (8.32) and assists (516).

SERIES HISTORY VS. SOUTHERN UTAH
The Trailblazers are 3-5 against the Thunderbirds falling in four sets at SUU Oct. 5.

The pair split a pair of matches in 2023 sweeping at home before falling in five sets in Cedar City.

The Blazers are 2-1 at home against SUU with wins in 2021 and 2023 and fell in five sets in 2022.

NON-CONFERENCE ACTION
The Trailblazers went 6-4 in non-conference action with Knudsen earning MVP honors at both the season-opening Weber State Invitational and the Gonzaga Tournament. 

Knudsen along with Taylor Snow earned All-Tournament honors at the College of Charleston Invitational.

Howard, Laufiso and Nana Asiata collected All-Tournament honors at the Weber State Invitational. The following weekend saw Knudsen, Tessa Treanor and Snow earn All-Tournament honors at the Gonzaga Tournament.

WAC TOURNAMENT
The WAC Tournament is set for Nov. 21-23 in Arlington, Texas hosted at the College Park Center.

UP NEXT
The Trailblazers return to Texas next week traveling to Abilene Christian (8-9, 3-3 WAC) on Oct. 24 and Tarleton State (5-14, 0-6 WAC) on Oct. 26.