Utah volleyball wins Big 12 opener over Texas Tech in hard-fought 3-1 match

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah volleyball kicked off its Big 12 conference debut with a thrilling 3-1 victory over Texas Tech on Thursday night at the Huntsman Center.

In front of a rowdy home crowd, the Utes battled through four intense sets to secure their seventh consecutive win, marking a successful start to their Big 12 journey.

The match began with high energy as both teams came out swinging in the first set. Texas Tech jumped to an 18-10 lead, forcing Utah to call two timeouts early. But the Utes showcased resilience, storming back with 7 consecutive points to take the first set 25-23 in a back-and-forth battle.

"We have such an undeniable chemistry, and we have so much fun together," said Kamryn Gibadlo, who was a force on both sides of the net, tallying 17 kills, nine digs, and two blocks. "I feel like our team prepared so well. We knew these teams weren't going to be easy. Big 12 is a really good conference, but we came out and put our all on the court."

The second set was equally intense. Utah's bench provided high-energy celebrations after every point, keeping the atmosphere electric.

Texas Tech's Mia Wesley proved to be a major challenge for the Utes, though, with her 21 kills, 21 digs, and two blocks. The teams traded points throughout the set, tying the score three times, starting at 24-24, before Utah finally pulled away to win 30-28.

"It was just such a battle, and Texas Tech was a great defensive team," Utes head coach Beth Launiere said. "What we talked about in set four was just 5 points at a time. We just tried to chunk it out because every time we would get a little lead, they would come back. We were just trying to hold leads and get to that next step."

Despite Utah's early dominance, Texas Tech came out strong in the third set, eager to avoid a sweep. The Red Raiders claimed the set in another hard-fought contest 34-32, fueled by standout performances from Wesley and Brynn Williams.

Utah's Ashley West, who returned to the court this season after recovering from a long, season-ending injury last year, made her mark in the third and fourth sets, finishing with six kills and one dig.

With the Red Raiders gaining momentum, Utah looked to close things out in the fourth set. Leading 24-23, Texas Tech forced a Utah timeout, but the Utes emerged from the break determined to end the match.

On the final play, West delivered a powerful kill that sealed Utah's victory, taking the set 26-24 and clinching the 3-1 win.

"There's really nothing quite like it," Gibadlo said about the play. "That's why I love volleyball so much."

Utah outperformed Texas Tech in several key areas, including 75 total kills compared to the Red Raiders' 62. Both teams were even in blocks with 10 apiece, while Utah edged out Texas Tech in digs 90-86.

Service errors plagued both sides, but it was Utah's ability to finish strong that made the difference.

"This is as good as any team I've ever had, honestly. This is a great group of girls," Launiere said. "We know Colorado well, and we always have big, tough matches with them, so I don't expect anything different on Sunday."

Utah will continue its Big 12 campaign at home on Sunday against the Colorado Buffaloes, while Texas Tech travels south to face the BYU Cougars in Provo on Saturday.

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