OREM, Utah - The University of North Dakota volleyball team dropped a four-set match to Utah Valley on Thursday night as the team returned to Great West Conference play. The Sioux (10-5, 2-1 GW) pushed the league's preseason favorite to the brink of a fifth set, but the Wolverines (9-5, 2-0 GW) were able to pull out the victory 25-17, 22-25, 25-21 and 26-24.
Senior Britta Hanson (Thompson, N.D.) and sophomore Annika Smed (Albert Lea, Minn.) narrowly missed out on double-doubles to lead the UND effort. Hanson had nine kills to go with 11 block assists. She was only one block assist shy of equaling her career-high. Smed also added nine kills, had 14 digs and a career-high seven total blocks.
"You have to give Utah Valley credit, they played very hard and served us tough all night," UND head coach Ashley Hardee. "We did a nice job of blocking throughout the match, but our quality of digs kept us from getting into our transition game."
The opening set began as a back-and-forth affair, but a 6-0 run by the home team midway through propelled them to take the 1-0 lead in the match. The Wolverines led 12-11 when Camie Manwill registered one of her six kills, then tallied four service aces over the next five points to seize the momentum for UVU. Manwill would prove to be UND's biggest nemesis the entire match.
The Sioux had five attack errors, while UVU was much more efficient totaling 16 kills on only two errors in game one. The Wolverines held a 55-42 edge in kills for the match, while Sioux held a distinct advantage in blocking at 16.5-7.5.
UND turned things around in set two and was able to pull out the 25-22 victory to even things up at one game each. The game was tied at 20-20, when the Sioux took control on kills by Hanson, Smed and senior Megan Langseth (Alexandria, Minn.), then clinched the game on the ninth attack error of the set by UVU.
In the third set, UVU used a 5-0 run midway through to build a six-point cushion in the match. However, the Sioux responded and matched that run point-for-point to cut their deficit to one at 16-15.
After a quick two-point spurt by the Wolverines, the Sioux scored four straight to take their first lead of the game at 19-18 on a kill by Britta Hanson. The lead was short-lived though as UVU reeled off a trio of points to regain the lead at 21-19.
Manwill finished off the pivotal third set victory for UVU with her 12th kill of the match. The Wolverines pulled away for a 25-21 victory after several UND comeback attempts fell just short.
The Sioux nearly forced a fifth set, but the Wolverines behind Manwill closed the match out in four games with a 26-24 victory. Manwill sealed the victory with her match-high 19th kill of the contest. UND staved off a pair of match points to square the match at 24-24, but UVU was able to score two-straight points to pick up their second-straight win in league play.
Sophomore Devin Trefz (Bagley, Minn.) had a team-high 10 kills, while Langseth added 29 assists. Senior Lindsay Vortherms (Windom, Minn.) moved closer to the all-time dig mark at UND with 17 in the contest. She needs 50 now to set the record held by Mindy Sutter at 1,594.
UND will have a week off from action before returning to the road for a swing through Texas. The Sioux will face Texas Pan-American and Houston Baptist next Thursday and Saturday, respectively.
