CEDAR CITY, Utah – Southern Utah volleyball (3-20, 2-10 WAC) will face off against rival Utah Tech (19-5, 10-2 WAC) to open up the WAC Tournament. This will be the third time the Thunderbirds and Trailblazers have squared off this season, with Utah Tech coming out on top in the previous two matches.
Last Time Out
Southern Utah and Tarleton State battled through a competitive five-set match that featured long rallies, momentum swings, and extended scoring runs on both sides. The Thunderbirds controlled the early sets with balanced offense and timely serving. Southern Utah was led by Victoria Zibecchi's season-high 19 kills, Asya Akbulut's 41 assists, Aleeya Jones' 25 digs, and Kaitlyn Aleshire's four blocks.
What to Watch
The Thunderbirds will look to a balanced offensive attack, led by Victoria Zibecchi, Kaitlyn Hoelker, Addyson McArthur, Kaitlyn Aleshire, and Amaya Tobias. Southern Utah will look for steady production on both offense and defense to knock off Utah Tech. The Thunderbirds have been consistent in generating offense, with 851 assists on the year, and are even in aces per set with opponents at 1.3.
Defensively, the Thunderbirds have shown great ball control with 1,007 digs, 11.7 per set. At the net, the Thunderbirds have recorded 179 blocks and 67 solo blocks. Southern Utah will look to build on its strength heading into the match.
Thunderbirds Standouts
Scouting the Trailblazers
The Trailblazers are coming off a strong season in which they shared the WAC regular-season title with Utah Valley. Utah Tech is led by Casidy Fried and Taylor Snow. Fried is tied for second in the WAC in hitting percentage (.323), and Snow is fifth in the WAC with 101 blocks.
Head Coach Danielle Jensen
"We feel good going into the tournament. Our balance on offense and defense gives us an opportunity against Utah Tech. They've had a great season, but we are confident in our group if we play our game and minimize mistakes."
Game Information
Opponent: Utah Tech Trailblazers
Date/Time: Thursday, November 20 - 3 PM MT
Location: Moody Coliseum - Abilene, Texas
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Here
Layout of WAC Tournament
The winner of this match will face the winner of Tarleton State and California Baptist on Friday at 3 PM MT.
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