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Southern Utah University Athletics

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SOUTHERN UTAH THUNDERBIRDS
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3
Winner Northern Arizona NAU 13-7 (5-2 BSC)
1
Southern Utah SUU 2-17 (1-6 BSC)
Winner
Northern Arizona NAU
13-7 (5-2 BSC)
3
Final
1
Southern Utah SUU
2-17 (1-6 BSC)
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Northern Arizona NAU 27 25 23 25 (3)
Southern Utah SUU 25 19 25 17 (1)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | Taylor Whitson - SUU Athletics Strategic Communication

Southern Utah Drops to Northern Arizona in Four Sets

RECAP | Southern Utah drops to Northern Arizona in Four Sets

CEDAR CITY, Utah -- The Southern Utah University volleyball team fell to the Lumberjacks of Northern Arizona University on Monday evening 3-1.

Janet Kalaniuvalu led the Thunderbirds in kills with 21 followed by Emma Mangum who had 13. A well executed defense, led by Miahna Waters with 22 digs, opened up the game for setter Alexis Averett who was able to spread the offense. Middle blockers Miranda Canez and Katie Montgomery benefited from the sets as they both had five kills on the night.

"We had major concerns about defense after last week and I am very proud of our team for making that change tonight," head coach Pete Hoyer said. "Our block is better and our game is coming together more and more each week; we just need to learn the sustaining part of the game. Once we get that, we will be able to close those sets that have been running away from us."

To start the first set the Thunderbirds pulled ahead by five points at 9-4 before the first time out was called by the Lumberjacks. Averett directed the offense towards Mangum who swung away from the right side, putting away five kills in the first set. The Lumberjacks came within one at 14-13 but Kalaniuvalu immediately added a kill and a block for the Thunderbirds increasing the lead to 16-13. NAU snuck back into the game at 23-22 causing SUU to call a timeout. The Lumberjacks went on a 3-0 run led by Kaylie Jorgensen scored the final point of the match 27-25.

Possession in the second set teetered back and forth but the Thunderbirds held the lead with big blocks from Montgomery, Canez and Mangum. The Lumberjacks came back tying the game at 13, then claimed the top after a kill from Jorgenson. Coming out of an SUU timeout Mangum evened the score at 14 with a kill. Despite Waters effort in the back row, NAU won the set 25-19.

A slide from Montgomery tied the third set at seven and with the help of Kalaniuvalu the Thunderbirds went up by two at 10-8. The Lumberjacks came back to take the lead at 13-12 but a kill from Mangum tied the game at 14. Back-and-forth play led to a tie at 20 when Kalaniuvalu went off for three points. A service error by Waters gave NAU a side out but Mckenzie Dowell and Montgomery got the ball back with a block on outside. After a timeout called by NAU, the Lumberjacks came back within one at 24-23. Waters set the ball from the back row perfectly placing a ball to Dowell from the outside, earning a set win for the Thunderbirds at 25-23.  

The Lumberjacks went on a 9-1 scoring run in the fourth putting them up by five at 20-15. The Thunderbirds put up a block but a service error gave NAU the ball back at 21-16. SUU was unable to make a comeback giving NAU the set 25-17 and the match 3-1.

SUU is now 2-17, 1-6 in Big Sky Conference play.

The Thunderbirds will play again Thursday, October 11 as they face the Bears of Northern Colorado University at 6:30 p.m. in the Greeley, Colorado.
Stay updated on the Thunderbirds 24/7 by following @SUUVolleyball on Twitter and Instagram along with liking the Southern Utah Volleyball page on Facebook.
For more pictures of today's match head to Southern Utah University's SmugMug collection here
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