LINCOLN, Nebr. – The No. 22 Utah Volleyball team heads back to Salt Lake City 6-2 on the 2025 season after sweeping the Drake Bulldogs 3-0 in the final day of the Husker Invitational.
The Utes flew easily to a first set win before having to grind out the final two sets with the Bulldogs (25-11, 28-26, 25-19) who proved worthy opponents.
SET ONE
Utah raced out to a quick 7-0 start before the Bulldogs scored a point, emphasized by freshman
Lana Mijacic's ace.
The Utes continued their healthy lead, 17-7, that built into a 22-9 score after three Drake errors, and a
Kamryn Gibadlo kill. Utah ultimately iced set one off two attack errors that gave the Utes the set point and win, 25-11.
SET TWO
Drake didn't go away quietly in the second set, jumping out to a 1-0 lead over Utah at the beginning of play.
The set continued to come down the wire between the Utes and Bulldogs with three lead changes and 13 ties taking place before the Utes moved ahead, 23-22.
Utah reached set point out of a timeout off a Gibadlo kill, 24-22, forcing Drake to take a timeout of their own. The Bulldogs made it interesting out of the break, hitting their own kill to make it a 24-23 game before tying duel up for a 14
th time at 25 apiece.
Drake moved ahead, 26-25, before the Utes used another timeout to compose themselves. Gibby tied the game again at 26 off a kill before adding two more kills for the set point and win, 28-26.
SET THREE
Utah and Drake continued to play tough and close into the third set, exchanging five lead changes and eight ties.
The Utes pulled away toward the end of the match off a Gibadlo kill that gave them a 21-18 advantage over the Bulldogs. Utah finished the match on one more Gibadlo kill for serve point, and won the match off a Drake attack error, 25-19.
STANDOUT STATS
- Utes Total Stats: 46 kills, three service aces, eight blocks, 55 digs.
- Gibadlo led the Utes in kills, tying her career record (21), led in total attempts (37), and hitting percentage (.459), was second in digs (11) and blocking (4).
- Emrie Moea'i came second in kills (10) and total attempts (25) while leading the team in blocks (5).
- Leah Wilton-LaBoy led the team in assists (41).
- Freshman McKenna Payne was the team leader in digs (12), tying her season and career-high mark.
UP NEXT
The Utes will finish up non-conference next weekend in San Luis Obispo, Cali. competing against California Baptist, Cal Poly, and Saint Mary's from Thursday, Sept. 18 through Saturday, Sept. 20.
Utah will then open Big 12 play the following week, hosting Iowa State on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. MT and Colorado on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 1 p.m. MT. Both games can be viewed on ESPN+.
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