TicketsSALT LAKE CITY – The University of Cincinnati volleyball team fell to No. 19-ranked Utah on Sunday in the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
The Bearcats (14-13, 5-11 Big 12) were swept by the Utes (23-5, 13-4 Big 12). Cincinnati struggled offensively, hitting .176 in the match. Utah finished with 50 kills on a .364 clip and tallied 11 blocks.
Senior Katelyn Lefler recorded a game-high 15 digs and 25 assists, while fifth-year Irbe Lazda led the Bearcats in kills as she claimed nine.
Senior Abby Walker added seven kills, hitting at an impressive .467 clip.
Utah went on an early 7-2 run to lead 10-5 in the first set. A 4-0 run by the Utes pushed the lead to eight, 15-7. The Bearcats couldn't close the gap, as Utah sealed the opening set with a four-point run, 25-16.
In the second set, UC delivered four unanswered points to go up 8-6. Utah responded with a quick 7-2 run, retaining the lead 15-12. A kill by redshirt sophomore Ligia Williams brought the Bearcats within one, 17-16, but the Utes immediately fired off four straight points, extending their lead to 21-16. Back-to-back kills by freshman Gretchen Sigman and Walker narrowed the gap to four (23-19), but UC couldn't prevail, as Cincinnati fell in the set, 25-19.
The third set saw a back-and-forth battle early on. Walker delivered three straight kills for UC, leveling the score at 11-11 to keep the set neck-and-neck. Utah started to pull away as it went on a 6-1 run (17-12). A kill by sophomore Sydney Nolan sparked a 4-0 run for Cincinnati, shrinking the margin to one (17-16), causing the Utes to call a timeout. Out of the timeout, Utah increased its lead with a 4-0 run of its own (21-16). Consecutive kills by Lazda and Walker cut the deficit to three for the Bearcats (23-20), but the Utes were able to hold on and take the final set, 25-21.