Utah Takes Down Beavers in Five

Thursday, October 11

Salt Lake City, UT

7:00 PM

University of Utah

10-8, 2-5

Oregon State

10-9, 0-7

Oregon State

Utah

10/11/2018 10:49 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Drews Leads Team with 23 Kills

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah got a big victory in the Huntsman Center on Thursday, October 11 against the Oregon State Beavers in an entertaining five sets.

After winning the first two sets, the Utes found themselves in another classic Pac-12 battle as Oregon State took the next two sets to stay alive in the match and push it to a decisive fifth set.

Things were tight in the fifth until a 3-0 run by the Utes put them up 13-10. From there, Utah had two match points spoiled, but wouldn't be denied on their home floor winning 15-13 on a block from Kenzie Koerber and Kennedi Evans.

Lots of Utes contributed, but it was Dani Drews leading the way with 23 kills hitting .353. She only had five errors on 51 swings.

Utah couldn't have gotten off to a better start in the match taking a commanding lead in the first set. The Utes led by as many as nine in the opening frame before closing it out 25-18 with a tasteful kill by Drews. The team hit .379 in the opening set and held Oregon State to a hitting percentage of .032.

With all of the momentum, Utah once again started to build a lead in the second eventually going up 16-10. This was when Oregon State rallied and ran off nine straight points. The Utes hung in there though rallying to tie the score at 22. From there, neither team would relent easily as Utah didn't win the set until 32-30. Oregon State had four set points and Utah had three set points until a block by Koerber and Lauren Sproule put Utah in front 2-0.

Oregon State came out and took control of the third and fourth sets. Utah tried to make runs in both late to get back in the set, but the Beavers ended up evening the match at two.

In the fifth, Utah's defense stepped up as they came up with four blocks and Brianna Doehrmann had eight of her 22 digs on the night in the fifth set alone.

Three other Utah players had double-digit kills as Lauga Gauta had 13, Megan Yett had 12 and Kenzie Koerber had 10.

Yett had a double-double adding 12 digs and Koerber led the team with 9.0 blocks.

The win moves Utah to 2-5 in Pac-12 play.

Utah will now look forward to hosting Oregon on Sunday, October 14 at noon back in the Huntsman Center.