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University of Utah
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UNLV
Utah Volleyball Takes Road Sweep at UNLV
10/1/2009 12:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 1, 2009
LAS VEGAS - Junior opposite hitter Karolina Bartkowiak recorded her second consecutive double-double as the University of Utah volleyball swept UNLV (25-20, 25-16, 25-23) in its Mountain West Conference road opener Thursday at Cox Pavilion. The Utes have now won 18 consecutive conference matches dating back to Sept. 18, 2008.
The Utes currently enjoy a four-match win streak, which ties as their longest of the season. Utah has now also won four consecutive sets in conference play.
"It's an important win for us," Utah head coach Beth Launiere said. "We were at home for our first three conference games so for us to get a win on the road is big. I'm happy because we played well. We served and passed well. Our offense started to come around a little more and our blocking is starting to come around a little, too. But right now, we're just taking things one match at a time. That's what it's all about."
Utah (10-5, 4-0 MWC) was led by Bartkowiak, who recorded a team-high 11 kills with only one error while taking 17 swings to go along with 10 digs and three blocks. The Aurora, Ill., native now has five career double-doubles, all coming this season.
The Utes outhit the Rebels .371 to .220 in the match and also gained an 8-4 edge in team blocks over their hosts. Utah's .371 hitting percentage was its second-highest mark of the season and the highest recorded in conference play thus far.
"Our system works for us because we have a lot of people who are able to pass," Launiere said. "It poses problems for our opponents because we always have three hitters at the net."
Featuring a balanced offensive attack throughout the night, five other Utes --- Chelsey Sandberg, Danielle Killpack, Cinthia Silva, Sarah Hibbert and Jennifer Lanting --- hit for at least five kills in the match.
Sandberg hit for six kills, while Killpack added five. Hibbert totaled seven kills and Silva registered eight. Lanting registered a career-high .467 hitting percentage with eight kills on 15 swings with only one error.
Defensively, Killpack recorded a team-high five blocks to lead the Utes at the net. Bartkowiak and Lanting contributed three blocks apiece. In the back row, junior libero Keisha Fisher finished with a match-high 14 digs, her 14th double-figure-dig match in 15 contests this season. The Ririe, Idaho native has 47 such performances for her career and has reached double-figures in nine consecutive matches.
Sophomore setter Abby Simmons dished out 22 assists and Stephanie Neeley doled out 17 helpers. Simmons was also credited was a kill in the match, the fourth time in which she has tied her career with a career-high-tying mark.
To start the match, there were four ties early in the first set but Utah was able to collect a 3-0 run to take their first lead of the set at 9-6. The Utes later extended their lead to seven points to take a 22-16 advantage on the way to a 25-20 win in the open set. Jennifer Lanting recorded four kills in the set and Silva and Bartkowiak contributed three kills.
Utah is now 6-1 in 2009 when winning the first set of a match.
The Utes fell behind 6-3 as the second set started but scored three straight points to force the first tie of the set. A Rebel run pushed Utah to a 10-7 deficit but the Utes managed to put together an 8-1 run to take a 15-11 edge. Utah's advantage grew to as many as 10 points, at 24-14, as it went into the intermission with a 2-0 lead in the match after a 25-16 second-set victory.
There were three ties at the beginning of the third set with the final coming at three points apiece before the Utes took control of the set with five consecutive points to assume a lead at 8-3. The Rebels got back to within four points (11-7) but the Utes were quickly able to build their margin back to six points (15-9). UNLV fought back to within a point (23-22) by outscoring the Utes 13-8 down the stretch of the frame. Fortunately, Utah closed out the match with a pair of kills to earn a 25-23 match-clinching win.
Utah improved to 6-0 on television since 2008 as the MountainWest Sports Network provided live coverage.
UNLV (3-9, 2-3 MWC) was led by Sarah Nehf, who turned in a match-high 16 kills. Cursty Jackson came up with 14 kills while Erin Greenwood had a team-high four blocks.
The Utes have the remainder of the weekend off before hosting in-state rival Weber State on Tuesday, Oct. 6. First set against the Wildcats at Crimson Court is set for 7 p.m.
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