Cowgirls close in Utah

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

One final weekend, one last time to cause a little damage for the young Cowgirl volleyball team.

The Cowgirls will make their annual Utah trip to close the season, taking on No. 22 Utah on Thursday in Salt Lake City before facing BYU Saturday in Provo. Both matches begin at 7 p.m.

Wyoming’s biggest win of the season came early on when the Cowgirls shocked Utah in three games in Laramie. The Utes head into the final season tied for first place in the Mountain West Conference with Colorado State.

First year Wyoming head coach Carrie Yerty said she has a hunch they will be playing with big targets on their backs against the Utes.

“They are going to be ready for us after the whooping they took here,“ Yerty said. “They are going to be energetic and ready to play us. It won’t be their senior night, but it will be their senior weekend. They will definitely be ready. Our loss may be the one that costs them the conference championship. My guess is they are going to come at it 100 miles an hour."

Utah is currently 20-5 overall, 12-2 in the conference. The Utes are led by Lori Baird who is averaging a team leading 3.10 kills along with 1.38 blocks per set, while Kathryn Haynie is adding 2.86 kills and 2.27 digs per set.

“Utah is a phenomenal team,” Yerty said. “I would expect them to get a NCAA tournament bid and represents our conference, hopefully past the first round.”

BYU is 12-12 overall, 5-9 in MWC play and will take on Colorado State before facing the Cowgirls. They are led by Kayla Walker, who is averaging 3.01 kills and 2.08 digs per set, while Bryn Porter is adding 2.93 kills and 2.10 digs per set. The Cougars downed the Cowgirls in three close games earlier in Laramie.

For Yerty, this will be a bittersweet weekend.

“It’s hard for me because our senior class has done such an awesome job for us,” she said. “We know what our record (4-10, 5-18) is, but it certainly doesn’t entail what they have done for this program. I’m excited for this year to wrap up so we can look forward to the new year, but I’m also dad to see the end of the season because it is really been such a great year in terms of people and getting better and playing hard and commitment. All of the tangibles you want tin a program, this program has had. That’s why I truly believe our future is going to be so bright.”

Seniors Tasha Weishahan, Carissa Lee and Samantha Eley will be playing their final matches for Wyoming.

Yerty will lose those three seniors, but will welcome at least six talented newcomers to the program. She said this current Wyoming team had a lot to do in bringing in these players.

“It is important that the team understands what a valuable asset to us in the recruiting process," Yerty said. “These kids have worked their tails off, not just in the gym, but outside the gym to help us bring in the caliber athletes we need to bring in to improve to another level. Not just senior class but the corps returning next year is dedicated to see this program go back into a position where they can compete against anybody all of the time.”