Oct. 6, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

SALT LAKE CITY - The University of Utah volleyball team (11-4, 3-2 MWC) is in the midst of a four-match win streak. The Utes come back to Salt Lake City after a three-match road swing to face UNLV and San Diego State. Utah takes on the Rebels Thursday at 7 p.m., then plays the Aztecs Saturday at 1 p.m.

Lights. Camera. Action.

The Utes will be making their season television debut Thursday at 7 p.m., against UNLV, as the Mtn. will telecast live from Crimson Court. Anne Marie Anderson and Amy Gant will be calling the action.

Last Week

Utah went 3-0 and extended its winning streak to four matches with wins at Weber State, TCU, and New Mexico. Utah senior outside hitter Lori Baird (Murray, Utah) was named Mountain West Conference Player of the Week for her efforts. Baird started the week with11 kills and a match-high five blocks to go along with four digs in Utah's 3-1 non-conference win at Weber State last Tuesday. She committed only one hitting error in 20 attempts for a .500 hitting percentage against the Wildcats.

In the Utes' 3-0 win at TCU, Baird totaled a match-high 14 kills, five blocks and two digs. The outside hitter then notched her second double-double of the season with 21 kills and a season-high 10 blocks in Utah's 3-1 win at New Mexico last Saturday. Baird hit .447 (21-4-38) in four sets and collected four digs against the Lobos.

In Utah's three matches last week, Baird averaged 4.18 kills, 1.82 blocks, 0.91 digs and 5.23 points per set with a .420 hitting percentage.

Scouting UNLV

UNLV is 10-7 overall this season, including a 2-2 mark on the road. The Rebels have started MWC play 3-1 with wins over Air Force, TCU and San Diego State. Their lone conference loss came in a home match against New Mexico.

Jessica Walters is averging 3.48 kills per set with a .237 hitting percentage, while only two of her teammates are pounding down more than two kills per set. No one on the UNLV roster is averaging more than one block per set, with Cursty Jackson leading the way at 0.81. Defensive specialist Camille Cunningham leads the conference with 5.24 digs per set. The Rebels are getting outblocked 2.29 to 1.47 through their first 17 matches. Utah owns a distinct 24-3 advantage in the all-time matchup, but the Rebels won two of three matches last season, including a 3-2 win in last season's MWC Tournament Championship.

Scouting San Diego State

San Diego State stands 4-10 this season and 1-3 against MWC schools. The Aztecs dropped to 1-4 on the road after a 3-1 loss at UNLV last Thursday. SDSU is hitting .180 this season, compared to .260 for their opponents. Lauren Salisbury leads the team in attacking and blocking with 3.25 kills and 1.08 blocks per set. The Aztecs are outblocking their opponents, 1.86 blocks per set to 1.53. Leah Lathrop and Lauren Van Orden have split the setting duties. Lathrop has a slight edge with 5.29 assists per set, while Van Orden is averaging 4.62. Utah has a slight 19-18 edge in the all-time series after splitting a pair of matches last year. The Utes won last season's meeting at Crimson Court, 3-0, thanks to 10 kills, five blocks and five aces from Baird.

Haynie Two Short Of 1,000-kill Club

Senior outside hitter Kathryn Haynie (North Salt Lake City, Utah) has 998 career kills and is just two kills shy of becoming the 11th member of Utah's 1,000-kill club.

Haynie is second on the team with 2.76 kills per set this season. She is tied for fifth place in the conference with 0.33 service aces per set and ranks 10th in points per set with 3.38.

Two Of A Kind

Haynie and Baird could become the first pair of Ute teammates to have more than 1,000 career kills at the same time in school history.

Baird joined the 1,000-kill club Sept. 18, 2008, at No. 15 Colorado State. She is currently ninth on the school's all-time kills list with 1,057. Baird passed Sheila Cottrell-Sorenson (1,055 career kills) for ninth on Utah's career kills list Saturday at New Mexico.

Blocking Utes

The Utes rank eighth in the country in blocking, with 2.86 team blocks per set. Baird has led the way, coming up with 34 blocks in three matches last week. She took the MWC lead and is now 10th in the nation with 1.39 blocks per set, and now has nine block solos and 66 block assists in 54 sets this season. Baird is second on the school's all-time block assist list (503) and has 549 career total blocks, which stands third all-time in Utah history.

Emillie Toone (American Fork, Utah) has been effective at the net as well. Toone currenty occupies second place on the school's career total blocks list and is third in block assists. The American Fork, Utah native has 550 total blocks in her career and is 120 shy of tying Kim Turner (670 from 2000 to 2003) for the Utah record. Toone moved past McKelle Stilson (449) on the school's block assist list with 501 in her career. She is second on the team with 63 this season, and needs 88 more to become Utah's all-time leader. Toone is currently fourth among MWC players in blocking, with 1.28 blocks per set.

Model Of Efficiency

Toone has been the most efficient attacker in the MWC this season. Her .411 hitting percentage is 12th in the country. Toone is third on the team with 118 kills, but has committed only 19 attack errors on 241 swings.

Patroling The Back Row

Libero Keisha Fisher (Ririe, Idaho) has taken charge of the Utah back row this season, averaging a team-high 3.09 digs per set. Fisher has seven double-digit-dig performances and has accomplished the feat in three consecutive matches. Fisher notched a career a high 33 digs at No. 15 Colorado State, which stands as the highest single-match total in the conference.

Approaching The Century Mark

Utah is just one win from its 100th home win at Crimson Court since 2000. The Utes have posted a 99-16 record for a .861 winning percentage at home in the last nine seasons.

It's All In How You Start

In 10 of Utah's 11 victories this season, the Utes have won the first set. Consequently, Utah is 1-4 when it doesn't come up with a first-set victory. Utah's lone win after dropping the first set came at Weber State. The Utes lost the opening set, 22-25, then proceeded to win the next three sets convincingly.

Utah Receiving Votes

The Utes received 13 votes in the latest 2008 CBS College Sports Network/AVCA Division I Coaches Top-25 Poll.