CEDAR CITY, Utah -- The Southern Utah women's volleyball team hosts Montana State on Thursday, Oct. 29 at 6:30 pm as the Thunderbirds look to take revenge after dropping a tough match against the Bobcats in Bozeman earlier this month.

The Thunderbirds

Last time out, Southern Utah's offense put up 40 total kills to extend its season-best streak of matches with at least 30 kills to six in a row while marking the fourth time in five performances that the Thunderbirds reached the 40 kill threshold. Thunderbirds hitters will be looking forward to their rematch with the Bobcats as one of those 40 kill performances came against Montana State as Southern Utah sent home a season-second-best 57 kills against the Bobcats less than two weeks ago.

Audrey Atwood continues to lead the offensive charge for Southern Utah after leading all Thunderbirds with 12 total kills against Idaho on Saturday for her fourth double-digit kill performance in her last five matches, including the last three in a row. Atwood is no longer the only Thunderbirds player with 100+ kills for the season as Ryen Smith eclipsed the century mark with four kills last time out, and Natalie Moore is only two away from becoming the third member of the triple-digit club after scoring seven against Idaho. Setter Talea Berry now has six straight matches with at least 15 assists after 18 on Saturday as the freshman has solidified herself as a key contributor to the offense.

Southern Utah's defense has been playing at a high level recently, with at least five blocks in five of its last six matches along with 40+ digs in seven of its last eight. That defense has been a critical component of the Thunderbirds' ability to keep matches competitive and Thursday will require more of the same as Montana State comes into the match having hit .250 or above in five straight outings.

Moore has been Southern Utah's defensive standout all season long and continued to lead the effort at the net on Saturday with five total blocks against Idaho to bring her season total to 55 rejections. Audrey Atwood will look to continue making an impact on both sides of the net after her best defensive performance of the season against the Vandals, finishing with four total blocks and a team-leading 10 digs.

A Look at the Bobcats

Montana State comes into Thursday's matchup with a 14-7 record on the season, including a 7-3 mark in conference play after winning its last three matches to now sit tied for second in the Big Sky. The Bobcats defense has been stout over their last three, with at least eight blocks in each outing and averaging 58 digs per match over the same timeframe.

Thunderbirds vs Bobcats Part One

The Thunderbirds played the Bobcats on Oct. 17, 2026 in Bozeman, Mont. where the Bobcats won 3-1 (25-16, 26-28, 25-16, 33-31). Despite the loss, Southern Utah enjoyed one of its best offensive performances of the season, hitting above .240 in three of four sets as four different Thunderbirds finished with double-digit kills (Audrey Atwood, Natalie Moore, Ryen Smith and Emilia Zug). Southern Utah's defense also played well in the match, holding the Bobcats to a sub-.200 hitting percentage in two of four sets while recording six total blocks, led by Natalie Moore's four block assists, and 57 digs, led by Zorana Stankovska's 13. Click for full match recap or box score.

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