SUU picks up first set win of season, loses to Utah State in four
The Utah State volleyball team picked up a win over another in-state rival, beating Southern Utah in four sets Saturday in the Utah State Invitational sponsored by Gossner Foods.
The Aggies overcame a first-set meltdown in which they led 20-14, only to see the Thunderbirds finish on a 12-4 run to take the first set – their first of the season – 26-24.
Ana Mailoto finished with 11 kills for SUU, which nearly overcame a five-point deficit in the second set before coming up short at 25-23.
Led by a game-high 15 kills from senior Josselyn White, the Aggie offense found a groove and took control over the final two sets to win three straight – including a 25-14 shellacking in the fourth.
Utah State improved to 2-1 this season with the win, while Southern Utah remained winless at 0-3.
Utah sits atop the tournament standings with a 2-0 record, while Utah State is second at 2-1. Weber State is currently 1-1, while Portland is 1-2 after picking up a win against 0-3 Southern Utah on Saturday.
Utah faces off against Portland at 5 p.m. before the Aggies host yet another in-state foe, Weber State, at 7:30 p.m. in the tournament’s final game.
– curtis.lundstrom@aggiemail.usu.edu A complete summary of the Utah State Invitational will appear in the Aug. 28 print edition of The Utah Statesman.
@curtislundstrom