UW volleyball set for both home, road action this week

* University of Wyoming press release

LARAMIE -- After a successful two-match trip on the road last week, the Wyoming Cowgirl volleyball team will split this week between home and away. UW hosts Utah State at 6:30 p.m., Thursday before hitting the road for a noon match Saturday at Boise State.

This will be the only meetings with the Aggies and Broncos this season for Wyoming.

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The Cowgirls (8-12, 4-4 MW) had another 2-for-2 week on the road last week, winning at San Diego State and Fresno State. Both matches were won in four sets.

The two victories improved the Brown and Gold to 4-1 on the road in 2022 during league play. Naya Shimé led Wyoming with 26 kills during the week while Tierney Barlow added 17 and hit .467 in the two wins. Barlow is now hitting .414 during league play this season, a mark that ranks fourth in the MW.

As a team against the Aztecs and Bulldogs, the Cowgirls held their opponents to just a .058 hitting percentage, including an opponent-low .028 against SDSU.

After the week’s action, Shimé now ranks fourth in the league during conference play in both kills (3.89) and points (4.18) per set.

Kasia Partyka, meanwhile, improved her assist-per-set average to 10.38 in UW’s eight Mountain West matches this season, which remains second-best in the conference. Kayla Mazzocca moved into seventh on the blocks-per-set list in the league, as she is at an even 1.00 per set in 2022.

Hailey Zuroske, who had 17 digs in each win last week, is now averaging 3.73 digs per set in 2022, which ranks fifth in the MW.

The Cowgirls are in search of their first league win at home this season. UW is 10-8 at home all-time against Utah State. Against Boise State, the Broncos have won each of the last four matchups with UW.

Wyoming is looking for just its fourth win in program history in Boise and is looking to break a 16-16 all-time series tie with a win Saturday.

Utah State, who is the defending regular season co-champions in the league, is led by All-Mountain West honoree, Tatum Stall's 203 kills. Stall's 3.28 kills per set during league play ranks seventh in the conference.

Kennedi Boyd, who is hitting .325 in league play in 2022, ranks seventh in the MW in hitting percentage and is fifth averaging 1.13 blocks per set. The Aggies are impressive defensively in the back row, as Jordi Holdaway and Shelby Capllonch rank fifth and sixth, respectively in MW play averaging 3.84 and 3.69 digs per set.

As a team, USU is third in the conference averaging 2.42 blocks per set while opponents are hitting just .180 during league play, which ranks tied for third along with the Cowgirls. Utah State is 3-4 in road matches this season. The Aggies are 13-6 overall on the season and is 5-3 in league matches.

Boise State is led by a pair of attackers with 200-plus kills this season. Pagie Bartsch, who was the 2021 MW Freshman of the Year, leads the team with 275 kills while All-Mountain West honoree Lauren Ohlinger, has tallied 241 in 2022. Bartsch leads the league in points per set with 4.97 while her 4.26 kills per in conference play ranks second.

Ohlinger, meanwhile, leads the league in service aces at 0.52 per set and is ninth averaging 3.73 points a set. Ashley Hayden leads the team and is fourth in MW play at 9.04 assists per set. As a team, the Broncos are averaging 2.49 blocks per set, defensively and is hitting .225 as a team, offensively. BSU enters the week at 13-6 overall and 5-3 in the Mountain West. The Broncos are 2-5 in true road matches in 2022.

Thursday’s contest against Utah State will be a “White Out”. The first 300 fans in attendance will receive a free white Wyoming Volleyball shirt.