CEDAR CITY, Utah — The Southern Utah volleyball team lost 3 sets to 1 to the rival Northern Arizona Lumberjacks on Monday night.
Outside hitter Janet Kalaniuvalu led SUU in kills with 21 followed by opposite hitter Emma Mangum with 13.
SUU jumped out to a 9-4 lead in set one before NAU’s Kaylie Jorgenson rallied the Lumberjacks with three consecutive kills, making the score 14-13 to SUU. SUU eventually had two opportunities to put the set away with game points at 24-23 and 25-24. They couldn’t convert either one of them and NAU took a 27-25 win.
Heaven Harris led NAU to a 25-19 win in set two. Harris tallied five kills in the set.
The Thunderbirds forced a fourth set with a 25-23 victory. Kalaniuvalu put away seven kills in set three.
NAU put the match away with a commanding 25-17 win in the fourth set. Ryann Davis led NAU with 13 total kills followed by Kaylie Jorgenson with 12 and Heaven Harris with nine.
SUU finished with a .201 hitting percentage while NAU hit .244 for the match. SUU tallied 59 kills compared to 55 from NAU.
The loss dropped the Thunderbirds to 2-17 overall and 1-6 in the Big Sky. Their next match is Thursday at 7:00 p.m. in Northern Colorado. The game will be streamed on Pluto TV.
Story by: Aaron Peterson
aapete3232@gmail.com
Photo by: Mitchell Quartz
