CEDAR CITY, UTAH -- Southern Utah ended its non-conference slate for 2026 on Saturday, losing to the UC Riverside Highlanders 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-21) despite a late push that nearly saw the Thunderbirds force a fourth set.
After the match, Coach Danielle Jensen said:
Both teams started the match a bit on edge, with eight of the 12 total service errors coming in the first set alone, but as the Thunderbirds settled in, they managed to build a slim 13-12 lead. Then a 5-0 scoring run by the Highlanders swung the momentum, and even when Southern Utah managed to scratch out its own 3-0 run late, the set went to UC Riverside 25-21.
The Thunderbirds started the second set strong, with three total blocks and back-to-back kills by Kaitlyn Hoelker helping them build an early 10-7 lead. The Highlanders would then regain their offensive footing, going on a 12-3 scoring run before ultimately taking the second set 25-16.
The third set was a dogfight, with each team taking turns on small runs of three or four points at a time. Then, with the Thunderbirds leading 14-13, UC Riverside went on the largest run of the set as an 8-1 scoring burst had the Highlanders leading 21-15. With the match on the line, the Thunderbirds refused to quit, with kills by Kaitlyn Hoelker and Ryen Smith sparking a 6-1 Southern Utah run that brought the deficit to just one point before the Highlanders closed out the set 25-21.
It was an improved defensive performance for the Thunderbirds as they doubled their total team blocks from Friday with six stops while recording over 30 digs for a second straight match. On offense, the Thunderbirds sent home over 30 kills for the fourth time in their last five matches as the connection between hitters and setters continues to grow every match.
Ryen Smith led the Thunderbirds in points for the first time this season with 12.5 as the Junior sent home 11 kills on only 18 attempts while also recording a solo and an assisted block. Maya Banks showed why she leads the team in kills this season as she put up another eight. Defensively, Southern Utah had five different players record blocks on the afternoon, with Natalie Moore leading all Thunderbirds with three rejections. On the back line, Zorana Stankovska continued her run of scrappy defense with nine digs, and Kaitlyn Barnes provided backup with an additional six of her own.
The Thunderbirds will finally make their eagerly anticipated return to the Big Sky next as they travel to Flagstaff, Arizona, for a tussle with Northern Arizona on September 24 at 6:30 pm MT.
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