They have played big matches this year against teams like Kansas, Oregon and Utah, but tonight Utah Valley University's volleyball team hosts perhaps its biggest home match of the year when the Wolverines take on Weber State at the Activity Center at 7 p.m.

"I expect it to be (biggest home match of the year). Any time you play an in-state program, it's fun and competitive for us," said coach Sam Atoa. "We're still making too many mistakes for us to be competitive at the end, but we've done very well in those areas at home."

Weber State comes into the match having lost to Portland State 3-0 and is now 8-5 overall and 0-2 in the Big Sky Conference.

UV is 2-7 on the year. The Wolverines are coming off a loss to Washington State in three games (21-25, 21-25, 21-25) while Washington State improved to 7-4.

In the loss Washington State sophomore Kayli Broadbent led all attackers with 14 kills in the match. She also had five digs and a block. Junior Allyce Wilson recorded 20 digs in the match for the third time this year.

What bodes well for UV tonight how well the Wolverines have played at home. They are 0-7 in road matches and 2-0 in home matches, beating both Idaho State and North Texas.

"We've had several freshman inserted into the starting lineup or who have played significant playing time. I've been pleased with their efforts. They just need more experience," Atoa said. "I like their progress and the way they're contributing. I expect Kristin (Anderson) to continue to be a force offensively and defensively, she leads the team in hitting and blocking and I expect Allyce will continue to anchor us on the back line and continue to give us a chance to score like she's done. Overall there's more we can do as a team. Everyone will have to step up their game and help us to accomplish what we want to do."

Tuesday's contest against Weber State is the first of four straight home matches for the Wolverines.

• Soccer team off to best start: The soccer team is coming back-to-back losses, but if there is any consolation for coach Brent Anderson it is that the team is still off to the best start in school history.

After seven games UV is now 4-2-1.

The Wolverines dropped a pair of close games over the weekend. UC Davis beat Utah Valley 2-1 on Sunday handing the Wolverines their second straight loss by one goal. Freshman Ashley Burdett scored her first career goal, but it was the only goal in two games because on Friday, Wyoming beat UVU 1-0.

The Wolverines will hit the road again this coming weekend with games at New Mexico (Friday) and at Northern Arizona (Sunday).

Jenni Clough and Jennifer Lohner lead the team with three goals each. Katey Turner leads the team with four assists and Lohner is second on the team with three assists.

• Women's basketball schedule released: The women's basketball team has consistently scheduled as difficult as any program at the school and it appears as though head coach Cathy Nixon has done it again.

The schedule for the 2008-09 season has been released and for the first time, Utah Valley will take on an SEC opponent and four other teams that competed in 2007-08 postseason tournaments.

"This schedule will definitely test us. We play some schools with a lot of tradition and success in women's basketball," said Nixon. "It's a fun schedule for our players and fans too and features some of the best talent we've played in our six years as a Division I school."

UVU opens the regular season on November 14th at home against Montana State, an 18-win team from last year. After a date with Mesa State, UVU will play the next six away from the McKay Center.

The Wolverines begin that stretch at Gonzaga, a 2007-08 WNIT team and the regular season West Coast Conference champions, on November 19th. From there they'll face New Mexico (Nov. 25) in The Pit where the Lobos were ranked sixth in the country in attendance. The reigning Mountain West Tournament champions have seven straight NCAA tournament appearances.

Following the trip to Albuquerque, UVU will play at WAC regular season champion Boise State on November 29th. The Broncos went 24-8 in 2007-08 and advanced to the second round of the WNIT.

Up next is a trip to Hawai'i where the team will play at Hawai'i on December 2nd before participating in the Seasider Classic in La'ie on the campus of BYU-Hawai'i. On December 5th, the Wolverines will battle USC prior to facing 2007-08 NCAA Tournament participant San Diego a day later.

The schedule returns to the McKay Center on December 13th against WNIT team Idaho State before UVU closes out the pre-Christmas schedule on December 19th at home against Mississippi State, the first SEC opponent in school history.

Overall, Utah Valley will play 14 games at home including the year-end Division I Independent tournament, 11 games on the road and two on a neutral court.

The men's basketball schedule has not been released yet, but when it is, the Wolverines will get two in-state schools at the McKay Events Center. The men will have play both Utah State and Southern Utah at home.