UVU (3-2) was led by Avery Page and Sami Blackett, who each recorded 12 kills. The Wolverines hit a season-high .330 as a team while limiting the Red Storm (0-4) to a .086 hitting percentage.

“Our defense has been pretty good, and we’ve met or exceeded those standards that we put on ourselves,” UVU head coach Sam Atoa said. “We struggled offensively a little bit last week, and we made some adjustments in practice that have carried over into our matches. We are a tough team to beat when our offense and defense are playing up to their standards.”

Utah Valley rebounded from an early deficit in the first set, falling behind 7-3 before quickly responding and tying the score at 8-8 on a service ace from Page. The opening frame remained back-and-forth before the preseason All-WAC trio of Page, Blackett and Bella Wooden took over offensively, scoring four of five consecutive points to give UVU a 21-20 lead. The Wolverines closed out the set with three kills from Page, while Alyvia Jaffa and Evalyn Chism added a key block.

UVU hit .394 in the first set, dropping slightly to .316 in the second, but the Wolverines’ defense stepped up. They tallied eight blocks while holding St. John’s to a -.179 hitting percentage. Wooden led the way with six blocks, while setter Chism set a new career high with six blocks of her own. UVU pulled away with two big runs in the second: a 7-1 stretch to take a 12-8 lead and a 6-0 run to close out the set.

The Wolverines built a 10-3 lead in the third set and looked poised to secure the sweep, but the Red Storm chipped away at the deficit. Blackett recorded seven kills in the frame, while Jaffa added five kills on five swings from the middle to lead UVU to 18 kills in the final set. After kills by the sophomore duo and a St. John’s attack error, Utah Valley went up 21-16. A 6-1 run gave the Red Storm set point, but Jaffa tied it with a kill, and a solo block by Page set up match point. A St. John’s setting error clinched the win for UVU.

Natalie Riggs recorded three service aces, bringing her season total to 14 and her career total to 113. She is now tied for sixth all-time at UVU with former teammate Abbie Medeiros.

Men’s soccer continues hot start

Three different Wolverines found the back of the net to lead No. 18 Utah Valley (5-0) to a 3-0 win over the Sacramento State Hornets (0-4-1), tying the program record for the best start to a season.

Toke Amtrup and Noah Pogue each scored their second goals of the season, while Dan McKay opened his UVU and collegiate account with a screamer late in the game to lift Utah Valley past the Hornets.

The Wolverines also kept a nation-best fifth clean sheet en route to the victory, with Kolby Sessions racking up a season-best five saves on the night. Dating back to last season, Utah Valley has allowed just one non-PK goal over its last 10 games.

“We say it a lot, our best defense is when we have the ball and our best offense is when we don’t,” said head coach Kyle Beckerman. “Ball possession, being able to attack with it but also defend with it and stay in control really helps us get these clean sheets.”

The fifth shutout already ties the team’s total from last season. Utah Valley is the only team in the country so far to start the season with five straight shutout wins, and is the first team in WAC men’s soccer history to start the season with five clean sheets.

“We really just trust the game plan,” said goalkeeper Kolby Sessions. “If we start out slow, we just trust it and that the way Kyle set us up is going to work. We try not to get frustrated and we just do our thing, and it’s working.”

Utah Valley opened the scoring in the 32nd minute on a free kick in the attacking third. Keegan Oyler lofted in a cross that skipped off Pogue’s head and fell to a streaking Amtrup, who volleyed it home with a karate-style kick. Oyler’s assist is his fifth of the season, which is currently the most in the country.

Sessions had to make a trio of saves before the next Wolverine scoring opportunity, including a leaping save in the 50th minute on Sac State’s best chance of the night on an effort from just outside the box.

Pogue doubled the Wolverine lead in the 57th after Isaac Emojong’s initial shot was saved. Pogue pounced on the rebound and fired it in the back of the net with his first touch.

Pogue had another opportunity from close range in the 65th minute, but his laser of a header hit woodwork and bounced out.

Utah Valley had a prime scoring opportunity fall by the wayside in the 78th minute as Oyler had a wide open net inside the six, but the pass skipped up on him at the last second and his shot sailed high.

McKay capped the scoring in the 88th minute with a screamer from the right side of the 18. Jose Luis Martin Montealegre cut in from the right flank and struck woodwork with his initial shot, but was able to tee up McKay off the rebound.

No. 18 Utah Valley faces a tough test in its next match, welcoming defending Big West tournament champion UC Davis to UCCU Stadium on Wednesday. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. MDT, and tickets can be purchased at GoUVU.com/MSOCtix.

Women’s soccer earns 3-2 victory against LSU

Faith Webber recorded a brace, including the eventual game-winner, as Utah Valley University earned a historic 3-2 victory over SEC foe LSU on Thursday night at UCCU Stadium.

The win marked the Wolverines’ first-ever triumph over an SEC opponent, moving UVU to 2-2-1 on the year while the Tigers dropped to 4-3-0.

Webber put Utah Valley on the board in the 31st minute after Ruby Hladek delivered a ball past midfield to Nixan Jackson, who slipped it ahead to Webber. The senior forward settled the pass and curled a left-footed shot inside the far post to give UVU the 1-0 lead. LSU answered just four minutes later, capitalizing on an own goal following a deflection inside the box.

The Wolverines regained the advantage in the 58th minute when Greta Davis sent a cross from the left side that Taylor Nelson headed into the back of the net for her first goal of the season.

Webber struck again in the 76th minute, scoring what proved to be the game-winner and giving UVU a two-goal cushion. LSU pulled one back in the 80th minute on a strike from Gabbi Ceballos, but goalkeeper Leah Wolf made two key late saves to preserve the win.

Wolf finished the night with seven saves, while Webber led all players with six shots, including five on frame.

“That’s the first SEC win in program history, and obviously it’s a powerful conference and they’re a good team,” UVU head coach Chris Lemay said. “For us to go out there and play with composure and professionalism, and for Faith to get two goals and Taylor to step into a different role and deliver, it was a wonderful performance. This result was big for Faith, but also for our team. Leah came up really clutch in some moments, and she was brilliant tonight.

“It just felt nice to have a little bit of a cushion. We were working so hard, and against a team as talented as LSU, it felt good to know we had that bit of breathing room. I just felt relieved that I could help put us in a better position to win. Never, at this program, have we ever beaten an SEC team. That says it all right there. That team competes against some of the best players in the country every week, and for us to go out and get the win, it validates everything we’ve been saying about what this team is capable of.”

Utah Valley will continue its homestand on Monday night against Gonzaga. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. MT at UCCU Stadium, with the match streaming live on ESPN+. Tickets are available at GoUVU.com/Tickets.