VOLL v Southern Utah (16 SEP 16) - Highlights
VOLL v Southern Utah (16 SEP 16) - Full Game
VOLL v Southern Utah (16 SEP 16) - Post Game

BOX SCORE

DENVER - Hitting .409 as a team, the University of Denver volleyball team started off the Denver Invitational on the right foot this evening with a sweep over Southern Utah, 25-18, 25-13 and 25-15.

Kayla Principato led all players in the match with 11 kills as the Pioneers (7-4) recorded 19 as a team in the opening set. Ruth Okoye followed with nine kills and a .583 rate, while Becca Latham added eight kills at a .545 rate.

Piyusha Boteju and Monique Domme drove the offense with 18 and 14 assists, respectively, while Denver recorded 41 digs as team without any single player ending with more than seven.

Chennin Benson led the Thunderbirds (2-8) with eight kills and six digs, while Alexis Averett paced SUU's offense with 20 assists.

Set One:

Denver hit .484 in the opening set, while Southern Utah managed a .125 rate. The Pioneers had only one team block in the set yet held the Thunderbirds to only seven kills.

Principato and Latham led DU with five kills apiece as Principato hit .500 in the set to Latham's .429. Okoye missed on only one attempt, hitting .800 with four kills, while Willis managed three kills and a .750 hitting rate.

The teams were tied early on at 2-2, but DU rattled off a quick 4-1 run and never looked back, eventually taking the set at 25-18.

Set Two:

The Pioneers kept the pace up after hitting .435 in the second set while holding SUU to a -.100 mark behind four Denver blocks.

Moni Corrujedo stepped up and fired off four kills with no errors for a .571 mark, while Okoye and Principato notched two kills of their own.

Southern Utah took the first two points, but DU quickly forced a tie at 4-4 and rallied for a 10-1 run and a 14-5 lead en route to the 25-13 final.

Set Three:

DU capped the sweep hitting .324 in the final set and again kept the Thunderbirds below the .100 mark with a .057 clip. Denver posted three blocks in the frame and was matched by SUU's three.

Principato maintained her stride with four kills, while Cassie Baird and Okoye each tallied three.

The Pioneers opened up with a 10-1 run and matched Southern Utah point-for-point the rest of the way for a 25-15 final for the sweep.

Up Next:

The Pioneers will wrap up the non-conference portion of their schedule with a match against Georgetown tomorrow night at 7 p.m. at Hamilton Gymnasium.

Tickets are on sale for Denver's home matches and can be found here.

Fans interested in making a donation to the volleyball program can do so by clicking here. Your contribution will make a direct impact on the success of YOUR Pioneers. Thank you in advance for your unwavering support of our student-athletes and their quest for excellence.

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