SEATTLE -- The Thunderbirds came up short in their match against Seattle U on Friday, falling to 0-7. Despite the four-set loss, the Thunderbirds arguably had their best all-around team performance yet in the 2026 season.
Seattle U came out strong in the first set, scoring six of the first seven points, but the Thunderbirds stayed calm and showed remarkable poise as they immediately rattled off a six-point streak to tie things up at 7-7. From there, neither team could build a sizable lead until, with Southern Utah up 21-20, the Thunderbirds took advantage of three straight Redhawk errors to go on a 4-2 run and win the first set.
The second set started much the same way the first did, with the Redhawks building a 7-2 lead before Southern Utah calmly closed the gap. Kaitlyn Hoelker sent home three kills, and Ryen Smith and Maya Banks each added one of their own, bringing the deficit for the Thunderbirds to just one point at 11-10. The Redhawks then went on a 9-2 run, and although Southern Utah fought back with four of the last six points in the set, Seattle U took the second frame 25-21.
The third set was as close as it could be through the early stages, with each team unable to score more than two points in a row and the score tied at 7-7. Then, a 6-2 run would give Seattle U an advantage they wouldn't surrender for the rest of the set. Despite a strong push from the Thunderbirds to cut the deficit to 24-22, the Redhawks took the lead heading into the fourth frame and then used a 10-1 run to end the match, winning 25-13.
The Thunderbirds improved offensively again, combining for over 40 kills for the second match in a row. Offensive efficiency was at its best as well, with the team hitting at least .400 in both the second and third sets. The defense also showed what it can do, with 11 blocks total and a season-second-best 53 digs as a unit.
The Thunderbirds had five players with at least five kills in the match, led by Maya Banks with 10, and Kaitlyn Hoelker with nine. Junior Ryen Smith enjoyed a breakout performance, with eight kills to her name on a hitting percentage of .333, along with two assisted blocks. Natalie Moore played premium defense, with two solo blocks and an additional six block assists. Zorana Stankovska was seemingly everywhere on the back line, racking up 13 total digs for the match.
The Thunderbirds will be back in action on Saturday at 3:00 pm MT when they take on the Washington State Cougars.
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