Traveling to St. George, the T-birds fell 3-1 to the rival Trailblazers on Monday night.
The opening set was back and forth to begin, with the two teams splitting the first eight points (4-4). SUU used a 4-0 spurt to take the lead (8-4), but three straight Utah Tech points kept the score close (8-7). Trailing by three (11-8), the Trailblazers ripped off an 8-0 run to turn the match in their favor and give themselves a five-point cushion (16-11). The T-birds notched the next point, but Utah Tech used a 6-0 spurt to push its lead to 22-12, and SUU was never able to recover. The Trailblazers closed out the set, winning 25-15 and taking a 1-0 lead in the match,
Set number two was a tight affair, as the teams remarkably remained even through 44 points. With the set tied at 22, the Thunderbirds put together three straight points to win the set 25-22 and even the match at 1-1.
SUU began the third set on a 4-0 run, but Utah Tech answered once again. The Trailblazers put together an 11-1 run to take an 11-5 lead, and the T-birds were yet again unable to get back in the set. Utah Tech pushed its lead to eight (17-9) before a brief 4-0 SUU run cut it back to four (17-13). It wouldn’t get any closer, however, as the Trailblazers tallied eight of the final nine points to take the set 25-14 and go up 2-1 in the match.
Set number four was another close one, as Utah Tech held just a two-point lead past the halfway mark (14-12). The Trailblazers pushed their lead to four (23-19), but two quick T-bird points made the score 23-21. Separated by just two, Utah Tech notched the last two points, claiming the set 25-21 and the 3-1 match victory.
Finley Charapata compiled a career night in the defeat, recording five service aces alongside 20 total points. Teniyah Leuluai notched 30 assists, her 12th 30+ assist match of the campaign.
Up next
SUU (8-11, 4-4 WAC) continues its four-match road trip with a visit to Cal Baptist on Thursday, Oct. 24.
Looking to snap a three-match skid, the T-birds will face the Lancers at 8 p.m. MT. The match can be seen on ESPN+.
