Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 OREM, UTAH — The UC Davis women's volleyball team suffered its first two losses of the 2019 campaign during the opening day of the La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Wolverine Invitational on Friday, falling to No. 19 Utah and host Utah by identical 3-0 scores at Lockhart Arena in Orem, Utah.

The defeats dropped the Aggies to 4-2 overall on the season with a Saturday finale scheduled for Noon against Portland State. The Utes remained undefeated at 5-0 following the win over UC Davis, while the Wolverines improved to 2-4.

Sophomore organizational studies major Mahalia White led the Aggies with 19 kills on the day, logging her third double-digit kill performance of the year with 10 in the opener against the nationally ranked Utes and wrapping up the day by hitting .353 in the nightcap against the Wolverines.

MATCH 1: #19 Utah def. UC Davis, 25-16, 25-17, 25-23
• After falling behind by as many as seven in the opening moments of the first set, the Aggies rallied for six straight points to make it 11-10 and force a Utah timeout
• The Utes then began to pull away, scoring six of the next seven points to build a 17-11 advantage
• Utah then closed out UC Davis scoring eight of the final 11 points to clinch the opening set
• The Utes took the second set, 25-17
• The Aggies battled back in the third, using tough serving by freshman Shira Lahav to take a 23-19 lead before a sideout on a Kenzie Koerber handed the ball back to Utah
• The Utes then never relinquished the ball, winning the final six points of the set to clinch the match
• Koerber led the Utes with 16 kills and hit .560 for the match as Utah hit .432 as a team

MATCH 2: Utah Valley def. UC Davis, 25-10, 25-13, 25-23
• The Wolverines scored 17 of the first 20 points in the opening set to take a commanding lead, holding the Aggies to -.097 hitting in the frame
• An 8-0 run by Utah Valley after UC Davis scored the opening point of the second set put the Aggies in an early hole as the two teams traded points from that point
• The Wolverines closed out the set by scoring seven of the final nine points — including three of their seven aces in the match
• UC Davis rallied in the third to try and extend the match, battling back to tie the score at 17 and eventually taking their first lead on a kill by Jane Seslar after trailing by as many as five points
• The rally included a run of six straight points that gave the Aggies a 19-17 lead before a service error gave the ball back to Utah Valley
• UC Davis regained the lead on a kill by White and led 23-21 after a kill by Leonie Strehl
• The Wolverines, however, capitalized on an ball-handling error and three mis-hits by the Aggies to score the final four points of the set and clinch the match
• Kazna Tarawhiti led all players with 20 kills and hit .633 for the contest for Utah Valley

ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley. The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, and among the top 10 public universities nationwide according to U.S. News and World Report, UC Davis offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.

AGGIE EVO
Launched in 2017-18, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation. Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.

MARYA WELCH INITIATIVE
Named after the former physical education instructor, coach and Dean of Women who founded women's sports on the campus 25 years before the passage of Title IX, the Marya Welch Initiative for Women's Athletics provides comprehensive support for UC Davis' 16 women's athletics programs. Through the support of the Marya Welch Initiative and its group members, student-athletes are provided the best possible opportunity to succeed inside the classroom, and in competition, through special project gifts and by increasing visibility and participation at women's events throughout the year. All gifts to the Marya Welch Initiative are matched 1:1, doubling the impact on our women's programs. Visit https://give.ucdavis.edu/ATHG/324041 for more information.