Utah Volleyball Set to Host #17 TCU and #18 Baylor

Thursday, October 10

Salt Lake City, UT

7:00 PM

University of Utah

TCU

Photo by: Eli Rehmer/Utah Athletics

Utah Volleyball Set to Host #17 TCU and #18 Baylor

10/9/2024 10:47 AM | Volleyball

Match Notes - #17 TCU, #18 Baylor

Utes return home for a pair of top 25 Big 12 battles

MATCH WEEK
Utah Volleyball will return home to the Jon M. Huntsman Center, welcoming in a pair of new Big 12 opponents for back-to-back top 25 matches. The Utes will host #17 TCU on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. MT. Utah will wrap the weekend with a match against the #18 Baylor Bears on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 1 p.m. MT.

Utah fans can tune in to ESPN+ on Thursday and Saturday to catch both matches this week. Jim Watson will be providing the play-by-play, with Victoria Dennis on color for the call.

QUICK HITS
• Utah remains in the AVCA top 25 conversation, as the Utes are now receiving 48 votes in the most recent poll.
• As a team, Utah has averaged 14.6 kills per set with 13.5 assists per set. From the service line, the Utes are averaging 1.5 aces per set. On the defensive side of the net, Utah is posting 16.1 digs per set with 2.5 blocks per set.
• Welcoming in #17 TCU and #18 Baylor, this is the first time Utah has hosted a pair of top 25 opponents in the Jon M. Huntsman Center for consecutive matches since 2022. During the 2022 campaign, Utah fell to #8 Stanford (0-3) before defeating #15 Washington (3-0).
• Utah opened the 2024 season with its best start since the 2013 season, putting together an eight-match win streak, and winning 13 of the first 15 matches.
• Utah has was won eight of 15 matches by way of a 3-0 decision.
• The Utes and Horned Frogs last met during the 2010 season, before Utah made the move tothe Pac-12. Utah took both matches, defeating TCU in Forth Worth 3-0 and securing the season sweep with a 3-1 decision in Salt Lake City.
• Utah boasts a deep attack of four hitters averaging 2.0+ kills per set with a hitting percentage of .250 or better. Kamryn Gibadlo (3.35/.277), Lauren Jardine (3.19/.252), Emrie Satuala (2.43/.391), Allie Olsen (2.07/.391).
• Running the two setter system, Utah has seen great production out of newcomer Isabelle Marco as she leads the Utes in assists per set at 6.10. Meanwhile, the veteran setter Grace Hammond comes in at 5.24 assists per set.

AMONG THE NATION'S BEST
• Utah ranks among some of the best in the nation (3rd) and the Big 12 (2nd) for kills per set, averaging 14.60.
• The Utah attack is top 25 in the country, coming in at 22nd, averaging a .275 hitting percentage, the Utes rank 3rd in the Big 12.
• The Utah defense has held its opponents to a .150 hitting percentage, ranking them 19th in the nation and 2nd in the Big 12.
• At the net, the Utes average 2.48 blocks per set ranking 4th in the Big 12.
• Allie Olsen (41st) and Emrie Satuala (41st) crack the top 50 in the nation for hitting percentage, each posting a .391 clip.
• As a team, the Utah offense has put together one of the most balanced attacks in the country, posting a .275 hitting percentage, ranking 22nd in the nation and 3rd in the Big 12.

SCOUTING TCU
Utah vs. TCU: 13-3
H: 6-1 | A: 5-2 | N: 2-0
TCU comes to Salt Lake City owning an 11-3 record, with a 3-1 record in Big 12 action having won three of their last four. The Horned Frogs are 1-1 on the road, having played just two true road matches so far this season, falling to #2 Nebraska on the road 1-3 in Lincoln, and defeating Houston on the road 3-2. TCU is led by the four-time Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, Melanie Parra (280), boasting the highest kills per set average amongst the Horned Frogs attack at 5.28 and tallying more than 100 kills than the second leading attacker, Jalyn Gibson (170). Parra also leads the TCU serving effort with 23 aces. Sarah Sylvester leads the TCU blocking effort with a team-leading 65, averaging 1.23 blocks per set. Jalyn Gibson and Cecily Bramschreiber each hold a 2.91 digs per set mark with 154 total digs on the season.

SCOUTING BAYLOR
Utah vs. Baylor: First Meeting
H: 0-0 | A: 0-0 | N: 0-0
Baylor brings a 10-4 record with them on the road, having lost their most recent battle against a then-ranked #22 TCU, 1-3. The Bears will take on #23 BYU in Provo before making the trip north to Salt Lake City on Saturday. The Baylor offense sees three attackers with 100+ kills, averaging 2.0+ kills per set, leading the efforts is Elise McGhee (161/3.16), Kendal Murphy (133/2.61), Allie Sczech (125/2.50). McGhee adds a team-high 22 service aces from the back line. Manuela Bibinbe and Victoria Davis lead the Baylor blocking defense averaging at least one block per set, with Bibinbe posting a 1.05 clip and Davis adding 1.0. On the receiving end, Lauren Briseno leads the Bears with 4.29 digs per set and 219 total digs, Jackie Barrett Frazier adds 155 digs averaging 3.04.

UP NEXT
Utah Volleyball will hit the road for its next three matches, traveling south to Provo to take on in-state rival BYU on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. MT. The Utes will continue their road stand, making their first trip to the Sunflower State as a member of the Big 12, taking on Kansas State on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. MT. Utah will close out the three-game road trip, traveling to Lawrence to take on Kansas at 2 p.m. MT.

FOLLOW THE UTES
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UtahVolleyball | Instagram: @UtahVolleyball | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahvolleyball), and the official mobile app of Utah Athletics, Utah360.

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