Ute Volleyball Team Sweeps New Mexico

Saturday, November 1

Salt Lake City, Utah

7:00 PM

University of Utah

New Mexico

11/1/2003 12:00 AM | Volleyball

Nov. 1, 2003

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah volleyball team improved to 15-7 overall and 9-2 in Mountain West Conference play with a three-game sweep of New Mexico tonight. Utah hit for just .193 on the match, while the Lobos combined for a .145 hitting percentage. The Utes were also out-blocked 9-8.

"We executed well throughout the majority of the match, we just had some lapses," Head Coach Beth Launiere said. "New Mexico came in really aggressive and focused. You have to give a lot of credit to them because they're still fighting and playing as hard as they are."

"Our focus was definitely up and down this weekend," she continued. "We need to get back to basics and have four good practices next week before BYU."

Senior All-America candidate Kim Turner led the Utes with 13 kills, eight digs and six blocks. Junior Lyndsey Henderson added 13 kills and two blocks, while sophomore Shelly Sommerfeldt finished with 10 digs, nine kills and four blocks.

Junior setter Tracy Neumeier dished out 26 assists while junior Kelsie Kartchner had 13. Neumeier also had four service aces. Senior libero Jackie Morrill finished with a match-high 12 digs.

Utah started slow in game one, allowing the Lobos to take a nine-point lead (14-5), but the Utes fought back with a vengeance, scoring 10 straight points to take an 18-16 lead. New Mexico kept it close for the rest of the game, but Utah pulled out the 30-26 win. The Utes hit for just .026 on the game, slightly lower than the .050 of the Lobos. Turner led Utah with five kills and two blocks on the game.

In game two, Utah took its first lead at 6-5 and maintained it for the remainder, winning 30-24. The Utes hit for .324 on the game, compared to the .205 of the Lobos. Henderson had five kills on the game to lead Utah.

The Utes started hot in game three, jumping out to a 10-3 lead, then using a 6-0 run to make it 16-4. But the Lobos wouldn't give up, out-scoring Utah 6-1 and then reeling off five straight points to cut the Ute lead to four (20-16). New Mexico narrowed it to three twice before Utah put it away for good, 30-24. The Utes combined for a .242 hitting percentage on the game and held New Mexico to .175.

UP NEXT:
The Utes host instate rival Brigham Young at 7 p.m. next Friday, Nov. 7, in Crimson Court. Utah has won six straight against the Cougars, dating back to the 2001 season.