Upcoming Event: Volleyball at Arizona on October 2, 2025 at 7:00 PM
7:00 PM
Volleyball
at Arizona
Friday, September 3
Evanston, Ill.
4:30 PM
University of Utah
1
vs
3
Morehead State
Utah Volleyball Comes Up Short Against Morehead State
9/3/2010 12:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 3, 2010
EVANSTON, Ill. - Senior opposite hitter Karolina Bartkowiak turned in her first double-double this season, the 13th of her career, but the University of Utah volleyball team lost in four sets to Morehead State (25-23, 21-25, 21-25, 22-2) Friday in the first match of the Northwestern Challenge at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Utah (2-2) held its opponent under .200 hitting for the match for the second consecutive match. Morehead State hit only .185 for the match after the Utes limited Utah Valley to a .140 mark in Tuesday's match.
"We just have to learn to play more as a team," Utah head coach Beth Launiere said. "We have older players who need to lead and younger players who need to follow. We need to come together as a team. It's just not clicking yet. I believe it's going to and when it does we're going to be good. But we're not there."
Bartkowiak totaled 11 digs and 10 kills for a double-double in the match. Collette notched her fourth consecutive double-digit kill performance to start this season, collecting 14 kills to go along with three digs.
Redshirt freshman Brooke McAlister hit a career-high nine kills and just missed her first career double-double after coming up with another career high of 10 digs.
Stephanie Neeley turned in her second double-double this season, coordinating the Ute attack with a season-high 33 assists and also had 14 digs.
On the block for the Utes, junior Danielle Killpack had seven blocks to go along with seven kills. Killpack needed only 16 swings and committed only two errors while hitting for a .312 percentage.
In the back row, senior libero Keisha Fisher achieved a season high with 27 digs. Fisher has had at least 10 digs in the last six matches in which she has played and owns 63 such performances in her career.
Morgan Odale chipped in six blocks and also had nine digs in the back row.
The Utes took the first five points of the opening set and would build its lead to as many as eight points before Morehead State put together an 8-2 run to tie the set for the first time at 22 points apiece. Utah finished the set strong, however, by taking three of the final four points en route to a 25-23 first-set victory. Collette hammered down seven kills on 13 swings for a .385 hitting percentage and the Ute defense held the Eagles to a .182 hitting percentage.
"We executed the most we had all year [during the first set]," Launiere said. "We played with a lot of confidence and we started to get into the flow, but Morehead State put us into some tough situations with their serve."
Morehead State stormed out to an 8-1 lead early in the second set but Utah put together a 4-1 run to cut its deficit to three points, trailing 16-13. The Utes got to within three points on five more occasions but could not avoid a 25-21 loss to even the match at one set apiece. Bartkowiak came through with four kills and four digs in the second set alone.
There were four ties in the first 12 points of the third set until Morehead State went on a 6-1 tear to assume an 11-7 lead. Collette comes up with four more kills but the Utes drop the third set, 25-21. The Utes held the Eagles to a .026 hitting percentage.
Utah never trailed by more than three points throughout the entire fourth set but were unable to catch the Eagles. Morehead State clinched the match with a 25-22 win to clinch the match. McAlister came up with four of her nine kills during the match finale, totaling four kills on just six swings and one error for a .500 hitting percentage. Fisher turned in eight digs during the set.
Morehead State (3-1) had three players in double-figures for kills, led by 13 from Holly Evans. Ellie Roberson registered 12 kills and Kaitlin Craven had 10.
The Utes will play a doubleheader tomorrow, beginning at 10 a.m. CT, against Ole Miss then a 7 p.m. CT match against the host Northwestern Wildcats.
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
L/S
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
OH
/ VolleyballUtah Volleyball's Emrie Moea'i - ESPN+ Feature
Thursday, September 25
Hear It From Harlan featuring Utah Volleyball's Kamryn Gibadlo
Thursday, September 25
Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - Tony Caridi, voice of the West Virginia Mountaineers
Tuesday, September 23
Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - Urban Meyer
Wednesday, September 17