CEDAR CITY, Utah – Southern Utah volleyball (1-11, 0-1) continues conference play on the road, traveling to Arlington, Texas, to face UT Arlington (8-4). First serve is set for 12:00 PM MT. The Thunderbirds will aim to rebound from their WAC opener against Utah Tech, while the Mavericks will open WAC play against the Thunderbirds.
Coach Jensen Said
"Going on the road in conference play is always a challenge, and it's a good test for our team. We didn't execute the way we wanted to in our opener, but we've had a chance to regroup and focus on the details. Tomorrow is about responding the right way and continuing to grow as a team."
Keys for the Thunderbirds
Despite a challenging start to the season, Southern Utah continues to show growth and unlimited potential, particularly on defense. The Thunderbirds are averaging 10.6 kills per set, with a team hitting percentage of .131. Southern Utah aims to improve its offensive rhythm by reducing the 297 attack errors that have stalled runs.
Southern Utah has distributed setting evenly with 456 total assists (9.7 per set). SUU has delivered 55 aces (1.2 per set) but has committed 103 service errors, an area where cleaner execution could yield immediate gains.
Southern Utah had a tough night offensively in its WAC opener against Utah Tech, finishing with 23 kills and 28 errors on 104 attempts for a hitting percentage of just .048, well below its season average of .131. The Thunderbirds also tallied 20 assists and two aces, both under their usual pace. Defensively, they finished with 36 digs and three blocks, slightly below their season averages. Despite a competitive second set, SUU struggled to find consistency and will look to clean things up heading into their next match.
UT Arlington
The Mavericks start conference play riding an efficient and aggressive style of play that's paid dividends to both sides of the ball. UTA is averaging 11.5 kills per set with a team hitting percentage of .181, backed by 10.6 assists per set.
One of UT Arlington's most dangerous weapons has been the service line. The Mavericks lead the WAC in service aces with 125 on the season. Defensively, the Mavericks are solid across the board. 14.2 digs per set, and they hold teams to a .152 hitting percentage. UT Arlington posts 1.8 blocks per set, including 27 solo blocks.
Where to Watch
ESPN+: here
Tickets
Tickets are on sale now! Get your tickets today by visiting tbirdtickets.com!
Follow Us
Stay up to date on the Thunderbirds Volleyball program by following @SUUVolleyball on Twitter and Instagram and liking the Southern Utah Volleyball page on Facebook.
Donate
To help support Thunderbirds athletics, consider donating today! To learn more about how you can support, click here.
