Playing three matches in two days, the SUU volleyball team recorded three straight wins to finish the weekend tournament unbeaten.
Here is a recap of SUU volleyball’s matches from Friday and Saturday as the T-birds got into the win column for the first time this season.
Friday vs. Idaho
On Friday afternoon, Southern Utah started the tournament facing the Idaho Vandals of the Big Sky Conference.
The T-birds got off to a quick start in set one, jumping ahead 13-6. Idaho took two of the next three points to make the score 14-8, but that was as close as the score would get. Leading 22-13, SUU ended the set on a 3-0 spurt to win 25-13 and take the 1-0 lead.
After a hot start to set one, Southern Utah found themselves in an early hole in set two. The Vandals jumped out to a 4-1 advantage, but the T-birds responded with a 9-6 run to even the score at 10 a piece. The teams traded the next eight points, but SUU notched four straight to take an 18-14 lead. Idaho cut the deficit to three, but another 4-0 spurt from the home team led to a 25-17 set victory and a 2-0 lead.
Set number three started even, as the sides split the first six points as Idaho tried to stay alive in the match. Southern Utah broke away momentarily, using a rally with a 6-0 run and a pair of 4-0 spurts to take a 20-10 lead. Idaho wouldn’t go down without a fight though, as a 5-0 run of their own when the score was 24-15 cut the T-bird lead to four. SUU stopped the run there, however, getting one final kill to win the set 25-20 and the match 3-0.
Teniyah Leuluai led the Thunderbirds with 39 assists in the win, while Andrea Spasojevic led the team in kills (13). The win against Idaho was the first of the campaign for SUU, who moved to 1-3.
Friday vs. UC Riverside
Playing UC Riverside of the Big West Conference in the nightcap, the T-birds won their second match in a row in a 3-0 sweep.
The two teams began set one by splitting the first six points, but SUU edged ahead by taking four of the next five points to take a 7-4 lead. UC Riverside kept it close, cutting the deficit to just one at 14-13, but the Thunderbirds responded by notching seven of the next eight points to make the score 21-14. The Highlanders tallied the next two points as they attempted to make a comeback, but a 4-0 SUU run gave the home team the 25-16 set win and a 1-0 match advantage.
Southern Utah started set number two quickly, jumping out to a 6-2 lead. UC Riverside cut the lead to two (12-10), but the T-birds tallied five of the next seven points to increase the advantage to 17-12. The Highlanders never got closer than four points for the remainder of the set, as SUU took five of the final seven points to take the set 25-18 and a 2-0 match lead.
The third set began much like the first, as the teams remained even through the first 12 points. Southern Utah then went on a 5-0 run to break the deadlock, taking an 11-6 lead. While UC Riverside kept it close – cutting the deficit to just one – SUU closed the set with three straight points to win 25-21 and the match in a 3-0 sweep.
Teniyah Leuluai led the way for Southern Utah in the win, tallying 39 assists. Three SUU players – Andrea Spasojevic, Victoria Zibecchi, and Finley Charapata – registered nine kills in the match.
Saturday vs. Idaho
The Thunderbirds ended the weekend with a rematch against Idaho, finishing the tournament with a 3-0 mark and on a three-match winning streak.
SUU came out ready to play in set one, jumping out to an early 5-0 advantage. The T-birds rolled through the first set, leading by as many as 12 while coasting to a 25-14 opening set win.
Set number two was a much closer affair than the first, as the two teams remained deadlocked through 20 points (10-10). Idaho then took four of the next five points to take a 14-11 lead, but a 3-0 spurt from Southern Utah evened the score once again. Following a Vandals point, SUU notched the next four points to take a slim 18-15 lead. Idaho closed the gap to just two (22-20), but the T-birds scored the last three points to win the set 25-20 and take a 2-0 match lead.
The Vandals ran out to a 3-0 lead in set three, but it was all SUU from there. The Thunderbirds tied the score with three consecutive points, and while Idaho took the next point, Southern Utah responded with a 9-0 run to take a 13-4 lead. The T-birds never looked back from there, as they closed out a 25-14 set win and a 3-0 match victory for a third-straight win.
Teniyah Leuluai once again led SUU in assists in the match (18), while Nalani Muniz chipped in 16 assists of her own. Andrea Spasojevic led the offense with 11 kills.
Up next
Southern Utah (3-3) will travel to Santa Clara, California for its third tournament of the season next.
The T-birds will first face Fresno State on Friday, September 13 at 12 p.m. MT before facing host school Santa Clara on Friday at 7 p.m. MT.
SUU will then stay in the Golden State to finish the weekend, traveling to battle San Jose State on Saturday, September 14 at 3 p.m. MT.
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