BOZEMAN, Mont. - Four Thunderbirds reached double figures in kills as Southern Utah volleyball pushed Montana State through two extended sets Saturday, October 17, falling 3-1 (25-16, 26-28, 25-16, 33-31) inside Shroyer Gym.
Southern Utah claimed a hard-fought second set and pushed the fourth to 64 combined points, finishing just two points shy of forcing a deciding fifth set. Audrey Atwood paced a balanced attack with 14 kills as the Thunderbirds totaled 57 kills and matched Montana State with 57 digs.
Thunderbirds Rise to the Challenge
Southern Utah delivered its strongest offensive performances in the match's two longest sets, combining for 41 kills in the second and fourth frames.
The Thunderbirds hammered 20 kills in the second set, hitting .250 while limiting Montana State to .186. SUU produced six more kills than the Bobcats in the frame and secured the extended-set victory, 28-26, to even the match.
Southern Utah found another gear offensively in the fourth, recording 21 kills and hitting .286—its best percentage of the night. The Thunderbirds limited Montana State to .167 hitting and pushed the frame well beyond regulation before the Bobcats secured the match with a 33-31 decision.
Across those two extended sets, Southern Utah registered 41 kills to Montana State's 30, showcasing the Thunderbirds' ability to generate offense in the match's most competitive stretches.
Four Thunderbirds Reach Double Figures
Atwood led Southern Utah with 14 kills on .324 hitting, committing just three attacking errors on 34 attempts. She rounded out her performance with six digs, an ace and a block assist.
Natalie Moore supplied 10 kills while hitting a team-best .429, finishing with only one attacking error on 21 swings. Moore also led the Thunderbirds with four block assists and contributed three digs.
Ryen Smith added 12 kills, five digs and two block assists, while Emilia Zug finished with 11 kills, five digs and three block assists.
Emilia Linden provided another efficient option, recording six kills on .333 hitting alongside two block assists and a service ace. Southern Utah finished just four kills behind Montana State for the match.
Berry's Double-Double Supports Balanced Effort
Talea Berry contributed on both sides of the ball, recording a double-double with 21 assists and 11 digs while adding a service ace.
Celes Uruena Jensen supplied 19 assists and seven digs, teaming with Berry for 40 of Southern Utah's 50 assists.
Zorana Stankovska anchored the back row with a team-leading 13 digs. Her effort helped Southern Utah match Montana State's 57 digs, while the Thunderbirds added six team blocks at the net.
Next Up
Southern Utah returns to the America First Event Center to host Eastern Washington on Thursday, October 22, at 6:30 p.m. MT.
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