Volleyball Tames Cowgirls, 3-1

Friday, October 7

Laramie, Wyo.

7:00 PM

University of Utah

Wyoming

10/7/2005 12:00 AM | Volleyball

Oct. 7, 2005

Box Score

LARAMIE, Wyo. - The University of Utah volleyball team rallied around the 17-kill, 20-dig performance of senior Shelly Sommerfeldt in tallying the four-game win over Wyoming here tonight.

Game scores were 30-25, 29-31, 30-21 and 30-19 as Utah improves to 11-5 and 3-2 in the Mountain West. The Cowgirls slip to 5-8 overall and to 0-4 in league play.

"I think that was one of the best matches we have played yet this season," head coach Beth Launiere said. "Other than game two, we played a complete match. We passed the ball as well as we have all season.

"I think we did a good job blocking tonight. We have the ability to block but we haven't done so on a consistent basis. I thought we were able to execute and we were fundamentally sound tonight."

The Utes hit .215 in the win, led by Sommerfeldt who posted another double-double in hitting .289 on the night. The 20 digs was a career high. Airial Salvo hit .256 in chalking up 15 kills.

Shannon Krug also had a double-double tonight. She figured in on both offense and defense in dishing out 49 assists and scooping up11 digs.

Utah held the edge at the net as it out-blocked Wyoming, 15-7, and held the Cowgirls to .063 hitting. Emillie Toone's six total blocks led the way but were complimented by Amie Tingey's five.

The Utes battled back in each of the first two games but with different results. Utah managed to erase a 13-5 deficit and hit .205 in game one, holding Wyoming to a .024 efficiency. Game two saw the Utes rally again, this time from a 19-27 deficit. They tied it at 29-29 only to see Wyoming surge for the two-point win.

The visitors returned from the break to hit an impressive .338 between the final two games. The number is buoyed by an eye-popping .448 efficiency in game three as Utah never trailed in either games three or four.

Wyoming's Rachel Smith had a team-best 14 kills and 14 digs. Tasha Weishahn's 46 assists and Andrea Seele's four total blocks also led the Cowgirls tonight.

The Utes have Saturday off and play a rare Sunday tilt at Colorado State. The backend of the two-match road swing will be televised live nationally on CSTV and will begin at 4 p.m.