CEDAR CITY, Utah — Southern Utah volleyball (2-15, 1-5) dropped its match against Utah Valley (9-9, 5-1) in straight sets Saturday afternoon, falling 3-0. The Wolverines came out strong in each frame, and while the Thunderbirds had stretches of momentum, they were unable to sustain a push.
Match Recap
The opening set saw both teams trading points early, with Southern Utah spreading its offense among several key players. Addyson McArthur, Victoria Zibecchi, and Kaitlyn Hoelker helped get the Thunderbirds off to a strong start, while Asya Akbulut and Amaya Tobias also provided offensive support.
Utah Valley put together several scoring runs throughout the set, and Southern Utah couldn't weather the storm. A late 4-0 Thunderbird run cut the deficit to 23-20, but back-to-back errors sealed the set for the Wolverines.
The Wolverines carried that momentum into the second set, taking an early 10-5 lead. A block by Tobias brought the Thunderbirds within four, but Utah Valley responded with another surge to extend its advantage to 18-10. Zibecchi recorded two late kills to keep SUU alive, but UVU closed out the frame 25-17.
Southern Utah couldn't stop the bleeding early in the third, quickly falling behind 10-3. A Utah Valley service error and a kill by Ajia Hughes cut the deficit to 10-5, but the Wolverines answered with a 5-0 run to push the lead to 15-5. The teams traded points down the stretch before Utah Valley finished the set 25-14 to clinch the sweep.
Thunderbird Standouts
Coach Jensen Said
Up Next
Southern Utah returns to action Saturday, Oct. 25, against Abilene Christian at 12:30 p.m. MT. The matchup will mark the second meeting between the two programs this season, with the Thunderbirds falling 3-2 in their previous contest in Texas.
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