LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Southern Utah battled through a hard-fought four-set match against UNLV on Thursday night, showing resilience and stretches of high-level play before ultimately falling 1–3 to the Rebels. After dropping the opening frame, the Thunderbirds regrouped and swung momentum in their favor with a dominant third set, but UNLV held off SUU's late push in the fourth to secure the victory.

Game Recap

Southern Utah hung tough in the opening set, trading points early behind kills from Amaya Tobias, Ajia Hughes, and Kaitlyn Hoelker while also taking advantage of a pair of UNLV service errors to stay close. The Rebels, however, caught fire midway through the frame as Jaida Harris and Rheanna Deen-Jackson powered a decisive run that pushed the margin to double digits. SUU looked to respond out of timeouts with defensive adjustments and found a late spark from an Addyson McArthur service ace. Still, UNLV's steady blocking and balanced attack kept the Thunderbirds from stringing together momentum, closing out the set 25–10.

Southern Utah came out sharp in the second set, with early kills from Victoria Zibecchi and Addyson McArthur, plus a service ace by Kaitlyn Aleshire, helping the Thunderbirds build a 6–2 lead. SUU continued to pressure at the net with blocks from Zibecchi, Amaya Tobias, and Kaitlyn Hoelker, and the momentum carried into a 17–13 advantage after another McArthur kill. UNLV rallied back with tough serving and timely swings, knotting the set at 21 before the teams traded points deep into extra play. Ajia Hughes delivered multiple key kills to keep the Thunderbirds alive, while SUU also benefited from aces by Aleeya Jones and Asya Akbulut. Despite the back-and-forth battle, UNLV ultimately edged out the frame with a 32–30 win to take control of the match.

Southern Utah responded with energy in the third set, racing out to a 5–0 lead thanks to strong net play from Victoria Zibecchi and Kaitlyn Aleshire, along with a kill from Addyson McArthur. The Thunderbirds maintained control with multiple blocks and an ace from Hoelker that forced UNLV into an early timeout. SUU continued to capitalize on Rebel errors while getting key swings from Hoelker and McArthur to extend the lead to 17–9. Though UNLV chipped away late, Southern Utah stayed composed and secured the set 25–18, cutting into the Rebels' match lead.

Southern Utah stormed out of the gates in the fourth set, with Asya Akbulut serving two straight aces and forcing multiple Rebel errors as part of a 6–0 start capped by an Addyson McArthur kill. The Thunderbirds held their momentum early with kills from Kaitlyn Hoelker and Ajia Hughes, but UNLV clawed back behind Jaida Harris and Rheanna Deen-Jackson, eventually pulling even at 10–10. SUU kept battling, trading kills from McArthur, Hoelker, and Kaitlyn Aleshire to stay close through the middle of the set, but a decisive Rebel run turned a 14–14 tie into an 18–14 deficit. The Thunderbirds fought to the finish with late kills from McArthur and Amaya Tobias, as well as capitalizing on UNLV miscues to extend the frame, but the Rebels closed it out 25–21 to seal the match.

Thunderbirds Standouts

• Addyson McArthur – Led SUU with 10 kills, adding eight digs, one ace, and a block assist to finish with a team-high 11.5 points.
   
• Kaitlyn Aleshire – Efficient on the attack with five kills on a .308 hitting percentage, while also contributing seven block assists and nine-and-a-half points.
   
• Ajia Hughes – Strong presence at the net with seven kills on a .294 clip, plus two block assists and a solo block for eight points.
   
• Asya Akbulut – Directed the offense with a team-high 16 assists, added three service aces, and chipped in 10 digs.

Coach Jensen Said

"I'm really proud of how our team responded after a tough start. We showed a lot of fight in sets two and three, and even in the fourth we came out aggressive and gave ourselves a chance. These are plenty of positives we can build on."

Up Next

Southern Utah volleyball returns to Cedar City next Thursday, September 25th, to open up WAC conference play against in-state rival, Utah Tech.

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