CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Southern Utah volleyball team opens Big Sky Conference play this week inside the America First Event Center when they host Eastern Washington on Thursday September 23 and the University of Idaho on Saturday September 25.

Last Time Out

The Thunderbirds played three matches last week, splitting a two-game series with Dixie State and dropping a match with Utah State.

In the win over the Trailblazers, Stacey Hone led the Thunderbird attack with a season-high 17 kills and 18 points. The redshirt senior hit .310 on the night, with just four attack errors in 42 attempts. Ronnie Robinson also had double-digit kills on the night with 13. The match went five sets and Dixie State even held match point at 19-18, but the T-Birds would score the final three points of the match to take the win.

Robinson had 31 kills throughout the weekend, averaging 2.38 kills per set. She also had 34 digs. Raegen Ashby hit .323 over the three matches with 25 kills. She also had 12 blocks, averaging almost a block per set.

Stats & Trends

The Thunderbirds come into Big Sky play with a 4-8 overall record. They have picked up a win in every week of the season so far, with three of them coming in five sets. Their five set loss to California Baptist on September 11 is their only five-set loss in their last nine tries dating back to October 17, 2019.

Southern Utah is third in the Big Sky in blocks, averaging 2.22 per set, and first in total blocks with 109 on the season. Carissa Richie and Raegen Ashby are the leaders at the net for the T-Birds with Richie averaging 1.10 blocks per set and Ashby averaging 1.08. Ashby's 53 total blocks are the most in the Big Sky.

The Thunderbirds are also fifth in the Big Sky in digs, averaging 13.43 digs per set. Calli Johnson leads that defensive effort, ranking second in the conference averaging 3.96 digs per set.

Scouting Report: Eastern Washington Eagles (4-4)

Eastern Washington hosted a tournament for their final weekend of non-conference, hosting CSU Bakersfield, Montana, and Seattle University. They dropped a match to CSU Bakersfield, but beat Seattle on Saturday 3-2.

The Eagles have the second-highest hitting percentage in the Big Sky, hitting .222 as a team. They are also one of the best defensive teams in the conference, allowing the fewest kills (11.42 per set), the fewest blocks (1.40 per set), and the second-fewest assists (10.48 per set).

Junior Ashlyn Blotzer has the second-highest individual hitting percentage in the Big Sky, hitting .388 on the season. Two other Eagles are in the top-10 with freshman Sadie Bacon at sixth (.288) and redshirt sophomore Maya McClellan at eighth (.284).

The Thunderbirds have won four of the last five matchups between the two teams, taking both matches last season to end the regular season.

Scouting Report: Idaho Vandals (3-6)

The Vandals competed in the Jackrabbit Classic hosted by South Dakota State last weekend for their final weekend of non-conference matches. They lost matches to Drake and the host Jackrabbits, but picked up a win over Southeastern Louisiana.

Redshirt senior Nicole Ball is third in the Big Sky in hitting percentage, hitting .310 over 39 sets. She is also fourth in blocks in the conference, averaging 1.13 blocks per set.

The Vandals have won four of the last five matchups between the two teams, with the T-Birds' last win coming on November 21, 2019 in Cedar City.

The Vandals will open Big Sky play on Thursday against Northern Arizona in Flagstaff.

Match Day Information

Thursday's match against the Eagles is set to begin at 6:00 p.m. inside the America First Event Center. Saturday's match against the Vandals is set to begin at 12:00 p.m.

Both matches will be streamed live on ESPN+ and live stats will be available at suutbirds.com.

Homecoming Week

Southern Utah University's annual Homecoming Week celebrates the past, present and future of the University with a multitude of events and traditions. SUU invites alumni, current students and families, faculty and staff, founders, friends, and community members to join the Thunderbird family for Homecoming Week, September 20-25, 2021. 

Tickets

Tickets for the Thunderbirds' matches against Eastern Washington and Idaho are available at tbirdtickets.com or the America First Event Center Ticket Office. Fans can also purchase Volleyball Season Tickets for access to every home match of the 2021 season.

Follow Us

Stay up to date during the 2021 Thunderbird Volleyball season by following @SUUVolleyball on Twitter and Instagram and liking the Southern Utah Volleyball page on Facebook.