POCATELLO, Idaho – The Gonzaga volleyball team came out swinging in the first set against Utah Valley, but the Wolverines responded with three straight set wins to defeat the Zags 3-1 in their first match of the Idaho State Tournament inside Reed Gym.
 
THE ACTION
First Set – Gonzaga, 25-10

• Jody Smith got the Zags rolling early in the first set, picking up consecutive blocks to give Gonzaga (2-5) the early edge. Juliette Russell followed suit, recording consecutive blocks of her own to extend the lead over Utah Valley (3-5) to five, leading 9-4.
• On the offensive side, Zoe Thiros, Autumn Larson, and Fallon Thompson pitched in kills as GU continued to roll midway through the first. Up 14-8, the Zags benefited from a pair of kills from Smith and a Thiros ace to force UVU to call a timeout, now leading 17-9.
• The Wolverines would get just one more point before an 8-0 Bulldogs run closed out the first set and put GU up 1-0.

Second Set – Utah Valley, 26-24

• Utah Valley quickly etched out an 8-3 lead in Set Two, with Avery Shewell and Hailey Cuff teaming up for four kills.
• The lead would grow to seven before a few runs by Gonzaga had them back within two, trailing 16-14 thanks to back-to-back kills from Thompson.
• Thiros continued to dominate on the offensive end, picking up five kills to bring her match total to eight amidst a 7-0 GU run to regain the lead 22-20.
• The Zags found themselves at set point leading 24-22, however a trio of kills from UVU put them back in the lead and eventually taking Set Two, 26-24.

Third Set – Utah Valley, 25-23

• GU opened the third with an early 4-2 lead before a 5-0 Utah Valley run put the Wolverines back in front. The Zags would hang within two throughout the midway point, but another run by UVU expanded their lead to six.
• Despite trailing by as many as seven (23-16), Gonzaga would not give in. Sparking a late push, Smith dropped in a trio of kills as a 5-0 Zag run had the squad trailing by two.
• Utah Valley would get another kill from Shewell to put the Wolverines at set point, 24-21. Another response from Gonzaga closed the gap to just one, needing one more to ensure a continuation of the set. Shewell would not allow that, as her eighth kill of the set put UVU 2-1 in the match.

Fourth Set – Utah Valley, 25-17

• Thiros picked up two quick kills at the beginning of the fourth as the Bulldogs and Wolverines traded blows.
• Neither side expanded on more than a two point advantage early in Set Four, until a 6-1 UVU run forced GU to take a timeout.
• The Zags answer with a 3-0 run out of the timeout, sparked by a Larson kill. However, a 5-0 Wolverines rebuttal put the set out of reach and eventually secured the 3-1 Utah Valley win.

 
QUICK STATS

• In her 2023 homecoming, Thiros recorded her fourth-straight double-double, notching a season-high 17 kills and 12 digs. The Pocatello native hit at a .317 clip, adding three service aces and two blocks.
• Three Zags recorded double-digit digs, including freshman setter Nia Damuni, whose 11 digs on the night is a new season best.

 
UP NEXT
Gonzaga takes on tournament host Idaho State in a mid-day matchup to wrap up their stint in Pocatello. Start time is set for 12 p.m. PST.
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