The University of Wyoming volleyball team came heartbreakingly close to victory Thursday night, falling in a five-set battle to Utah State (25-21, 25-19, 21-25, 14-25, 11-15) at the UniWyo Sports Complex, WyoSports.net reports.
Despite extending their losing streak to five matches, the Cowgirls showcased resilience and significant offensive improvement, hitting .291, well above their season average of .205.
Head coach Kaylee Prigge commended her team for battling through a season of challenges.
“This team has been through so much adversity this year… Their ability to stay the course and battle is extremely impressive,” Prigge said.
Wyoming came out strong, winning the first two sets with standout performances at the net. In the opening set, the Cowgirls out-hit the Aggies .357 to .161, capitalizing on Utah State’s errors. Sophomore Paige Lauterwasser led the charge offensively, recording six kills in the first set alone.
The second set saw Wyoming continue its aggressive play, jumping to an early 10-3 lead and forcing Utah State to burn multiple timeouts. The Cowgirls maintained their momentum, with sophomore Emma Winter delivering key points to hold off the Aggies’ comeback attempts.
Utah State, however, found its footing in the third set. A series of blocks and consistent offensive pressure allowed the Aggies to seize control, despite Wyoming’s competitive play. While the Cowgirls kept the score close, Utah State closed out the set on a strong note, outscoring Wyoming 8-5 down the stretch.
In the fourth set, Wyoming struggled early, hitting minus-.143 as Utah State jumped to a 7-3 lead. Although the Cowgirls managed to tie the score twice during the set, the Aggies’ late 4-0 run secured the frame, forcing a decisive fifth set.
The final set mirrored Wyoming’s season: filled with grit but ending just short of victory. Early errors put the Cowgirls in a 9-5 deficit, and while they closed the gap with key plays from Lauterwasser and senior Kayla Mazzocca, Utah State held on to seal the match.
Both Lauterwasser and Alyssa Holcomb posted double-doubles, with Lauterwasser tallying 14 kills and 11 digs, and Holcomb contributing 14 kills and 10 blocks. Mazzocca and Winter also reached double-digit kills, while senior Kasia Partyka led with 46 assists.
Coach Prigge highlighted the offensive strides the team made during the match.
“We hit .357 in the first and .577 in the second… Our offense hasn’t looked that good at any point this season. The goal now is to try and continue to get better,” she noted.
Wyoming (14-12, 6-11 Mountain West) will look to bounce back in their final regular-season game against the University of Nevada (12-15, 5-11) on Saturday. With emotions running high for senior night, the Cowgirls are determined to end their season on a positive note.
Senior Kayla Mazzocca emphasized the team’s resolve.
“We’re super tired of losing. So, hopefully on senior night we can end up on the better side of it.”
