2024 WAC VB Release Week 9
ALL MOMENTUM ON THE MAVERICKS SIDE
UT Arlington continued to flex its muscles by winning its ninth straight game to stay undefeated in conference play at 8-0. The Mavs collected their 13th sweep of the season including their last five matches. UTA has won its last 16 sets. The Mavs’ fanbase showed out to support their team as the match against Utah Tech had an attendance of 1,978, making it the second-most attended game in UTA volleyball history. UTA’s hot streak has moved the Mavericks up to 62nd in the latest RPI rankings.
UTAH VALLEY ON THE UPSWING
After starting out conference play at 1-3, Utah Valley has rebounded by winning its last four matchups and jumped its way up to a tie with third in the WAC standings. In UVU’s comeback win against California Baptist, Sami Blackett recorded 33 kills which broke a 20-year school kills record and is the most in game for a WAC player this year. Blackett is now second in the WAC in points per set (5.05) in conference play. Utah Valley’s win streak will be put to the test by playing the top two teams in the conference standings this coming week, Grand Canyon and UT Arlington.
REACHING CAREER MILESTONES
Last week the Lopes saw a couple of their stars etch their names in the school’s record books with new milestones in their careers. In GCU’s match versus UTA, Trista Strasser reached 200 GCU career blocks to move her up to fifth in the Lopes’ D-I era career blocks list. Tatum Parrott became the first player in the GCU D-I era to hit 1,000 kills in the Lopes’ sweep over Tarleton State. Emma Halcomb dug her way into Texan history by becoming the 16th Texan all time and the second in Tarleton State’s D-I era to reach 1,000 career digs.
CLINCHING SCENARIOS IN SIGHT
UT Arlington has the chance to clinch the first spot into the 2024 WAC Volleyball Tournament with one win this week along with either a Tarleton State or California Baptist loss. Grand Canyon also has the opportunity to lock up a spot in the tournament with two wins this week along with two losses by either TSU or CBU.