CEDAR CITY, Utah - After a long preseason, the Southern Utah University women's volleyball team will begin Western Athletic Conference play with a two-game homestand this weekend. The Thunderbirds will start the weekend with a matchup against the Tarleton State Texans on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 6:30 p.m. MT before taking on the Abilene Christian Wildcats on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 1:00 p.m. MT.
Head Coach Kacey Nady Said:
"The T-Birds are really looking forward to conference play! We have had a challenging week of practice to prepare ourselves and are ready to go. This weekend will be a lot of focusing on our side and how we can best execute preparation and our identity."
T-Bird Tidbits
- Andrea Spasojevic leads the attack with 114 kills on the year, just under three kills per set.
- Teniyah Leuluai controls the offense to the tune of 7.50 assists per set, fourth in the WAC.
- Arianna Rossi bolsters the defensive backcourt with 3.44 digs per set, sixth-best in the conference.
Last Time Out
On Saturday, the Thunderbirds finished the non-conference schedule with a matchup against the undefeated Arizona Wildcats.
Set number one was an early back-and-forth affair for both clubs, with Victoria Zibecchi leading kills to tie the game at seven and eight. With the Thunderbirds up 13-11, a 3-0 run from the Wildcats allowed them to retake the lead before going into the media timeout with a 15-14 advantage. Coming out of the break, Southern Utah continued to fight, tying it back up at 17 apiece before Arizona cashed in on four straight kills. On the brink, the 'Birds continued to fight, but it wouldn't be enough as the Wildcats would hold serve the rest of the way, taking the first 25-21.
The second frame was all Arizona early on, with a 4-0 scoring run helping the club build a 7-3 lead early on. After a response from Southern Utah that included two separate 4-0 runs, the Wildcats held a 13-12 lead halfway through. After capitalizing on five straight, Arizona looked to put the set away, but three straight kills from SUU put them right back in it, with the score reading 18-15 in favor of the Wildcats. That would be the closest the club got, however, as Arizona would hold their lead through the rest of the way, winning set number two 25-19 and giving them a 2-0 match lead.
After opening the third with five straight points, Arizona continued to attack, holding a 15-9 lead halfway through the set. Despite the deficit, Southern Utah continued to attack, with kills from Zibecchi, Finley Charapata, and Carissa Richie putting their squad as close as three, 22-19. But after two quick kills from the Wildcats put them on the brink, the rally proved not enough as Arizona took the third 25-20, completing the 3-0 sweep.
Scouting Report
Tarleton State
- The Texans are 5-8 on the season, coming off three straight wins at their home tournament, the Tarleton State Invitational, last weekend.
- Allison Bryant leads the offense, compiling 3.67 kills per set.
- Defensively, Emma Halcomb controls the floor with 202 total digs on the season.
- Emma Burke bolsters the net with 41 total blocks.
Abilene Christian
- Abilene Christian is 5-6 on the year, winning both games at last weekend's Wildcat Classic.
- Bryley Steinhilber leads the club in total kills with 116.
- Madeline Guffy spreads the wealth with 7.14 assists per set.
- Sara Carrizales (109) and Steinhilber (90) lead the defense in digs.
History
- The Texans and Thunderbirds are tied 1-1 all-time, with Southern Utah winning 3-1 in last year's contest.
- Abilene Christian and Southern Utah are tied 1-1 in all-time matchups. The Wildcats won 3-0 at home last season.
Tickets
For single-game tickets, be sure to visit tbirdtickets.com.
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