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7:00 PM
Volleyball
at Colorado
Saturday, August 31
Salt Lake City (Huntsman Center)
12:00 PM
University of Utah
3
vs
1
Fairfield
Utah Volleyball Downs Fairfield in Four Sets
8/31/2013 12:00 AM | Volleyball
Aug 31, 2013
SALT LAKE CITY - Senior middle blocker Erin Redd-Brandon turned in 12 kills and six blocks to lead the University of Utah volleyball team to a 3-1 win (25-15, 25-15, 21-25 25-17) over Fairfield in the fourth match of the Utah Classic on Saturday afternoon at the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
Utah (2-0) had a .233 hitting efficiency for the match to go with 10.0 team blocks, while Fairfield managed just a .119 clip on the attack and 4.0 team blocks.
"I was not that pleased with today's game," Utah Head Coach Beth Launiere. "I thought that we needed to get that third set, but we didn't. I have to give credit to Fairfield. They played hard and kept playing tough defense. We did a little bit of subbing, but if we're going to have depth, we've got to have everyone come in and do their job. We had a little lack of intensity so we have to pick it up, but I give credit to Fairfield. They played well in set three."
Redd-Brandon hit double-figures in kills for the second straight match to start 2013 as she hit 12 kills on three 26 attempts with just three errors for a .346 hitting percentage. With six blocks, she has led or tied for the team lead in blocks in both of Utah's matches this year.
Senior outside hitter Morgan Odale posted an impressive all-around performance with 12 digs, nine kills and a team-high-tying six blocks.
"Morgan had a great match," Launiere said. "She just really is being a work horse for us and doing great. Both Morgan and Erin played well."
Junior outside hitters Makenzie Moea'i and Chelsey Schofield both barely missed double-doubles. Each had eight kills apiece, while Schofield led the team with 14 digs and Moea'i had 12 digs.
Junior setter Kalee Kirby distributed 22 assists with five digs.
There were four ties to start the opening set before the Utes jumped ahead with 10 straight scores to grab a 14-4 edge. Utah would go on to lead by as many as 12 (23-11) on the way to a 25-15 first-set win. Utah held Fairfield to a -.030 hitting percentage, while Odale had four kills on seven swings for a .571 hitting percentage.
Fairfield took four of the opening five points in the second frame before the Utes pulled back within a point (6-5). The Stags answered promptly with a 4-1 spurt to grab a 10-6 lead and the back-and-forth play continued as the Utes put together a 9-2 run to assume their first lead of the set (15-12) and force a Fairfield timeout. Utah would build its lead up to 10 en route to a 25-15 win during the second set. The Utes hit .265 as a team as Schofield had five kills on nine swings with one miscue for a .444 hitting percentage. Utah also had a 3.0-1.0 edge in team blocks, while limiting Fairfield to a .034 hitting efficiency.
The home-standing Utes took the first four points of the third frame and went on to lead by as many as seven (8-1). The Stags came back with a 13-4 tear to take the lead for the first time in the set at 14-12. Fairfield would extend its lead to three points (19-16) before a 3-0 Utah run tied the set for the second time at 19 all. The Stags would go on to forge a 21-19 edge and go on to a 25-21 victory to extend the match. Junior right-side hitter Alli Spurrier had four kills at the net for the Utes, while freshman libero Tess Sutton had six digs in the back row.
Utah held a 3-1 advantage early in the fourth set, but the Stags came back to tie the set for the second time at four points apiece. The teams would be even one more time (5-5) before Utah spurted out to a 9-5 lead after four consecutive scores that prompted a Fairfield timeout. The Utes would push their lead to as many as 10, which was the final margin in the deciding set (25-15). The Utes hit .359 in the deciding set, while holding the Stags to a .111 efficiency. Bailey Bateman, Odale, Moea'i, Schofield and Dalton all had three kills apiece, while Utah came up with a 3.0-1.0 edge in team blocks and Schofield had eight digs in the finale.
Fairfield (0-2) was led by 14 kills on a .344 hitting percentage from Marilyn Peizer. Carsen Mata posted a match-high 19 digs.
Utah improved to 2-0 in its new permanent home, the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
"It's been great!," Launiere said. "On the court, it's awesome. Not a problem. We're adjusted. It's all the new locker room and the behind the scenes. All the little things that we're still trying to get used to and make sure it feels like our own home."
The Utes conclude their Utah Classic slate tonight against Northern Iowa tonight at 7 p.m. MT in the Huntsman Center.
"Northern Iowa is a really good team," Launiere said. "They play hard. They play fast. They play great defense and we're going to have our hands full, but I think we can do all those things, too."
Watch the match live at pac-12.com and live stats can be viewed at
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