(Spokane, Wash. - Sept. 6, 2024) - The Trailblazer volleyball team continued its hot start to the season on Friday night coming back to win a five-set thriller over Gonzaga at the Charlotte Y. Martin Centre.
Wrapping up play at the Gonzaga Tournament, Utah Tech won its third straight match and is now off to its first 4-1 start to a season since 2018.
Set scores went 23-25, 25-14, 16-25, 25-18, 15-7 in favor of Utah Tech.
Leading the Trailblazers in kills once again was junior outside hitter
Kennedi Knudsen, who finished with 17 kills to go along with eight digs. Sophomore outside hitter
Tessa Treanor posted a double-double tallying 11 kills to go along with 14 digs.
Sophomore libero
Mya Laufiso recorded a career-high 23 digs while sophomore setter
Marley Roe dished out a season-best 30 assists.
The opening set saw the Trailblazers never lead with Gonzaga jumping out to a 20-15 lead. A 4-0 run for the Blazers, finished out by a kill from
Taylor Snow, brought UT back within one at 20-19. Continuing to trail by one at 24-23, the Zags claimed the set with a kill.
It was all Trailblazers in the second set racing out to a 17-10 lead and finished it out with an 8-4 run, capped off by a service ace by Treanor.
After a 25-16 win for the Bulldogs in set three, the comeback effort started for the Trailblazers in the fourth set.
A 5-0 run for the Blazers midway through the set extended UT's lead to 19-12. A kill by Treanor put the Blazers right on the brink of the set leading 24-15 and a service error by the Zags pushed the match to a fifth set.
A quick start for the visitors gave the Trailblazers a 7-2 lead. Three straight points for GU cut the Blazers' lead down to a pair, but it was all Utah Tech down the stretch closing out the match with an emphatic 8-2 run as a kill by Treanor clinched the win.
As a team, Utah Tech held an edge in kills (55-48), service aces (8-4), blocks (12.0-8.0) and digs (72-56) while hitting .190 compared to .111 for the Bulldogs.
The Trailblazers travel to South Carolina next week for the College of Charleston Classic facing Middle Tennessee (1-3), College of Charleston (2-2) and Robert Morris (3-2).
Notables
- For a second straight tournament, Knudsen earned MVP honors.
- Knudsen, Treanor and Snow also earned All-Tournament honors.
