Facing Grand Canyon on Saturday night, the T-birds fell in a five-set battle as the Lopes took sole possession of second place.
Set one began with a 4-0 GCU lead, but SUU battled back to even the score at 6-6. The Lopes immediately answered with a 5-0 run, pushing its lead to 11-6. The T-birds kept it close, battling back to take their first lead at 15-14. Southern Utah then pushed its advantage to three (18-15), but Grand Canyon responded with four straight points to jump back in front (19-18). SUU once again had an answer, tallying seven of the next nine points to win the set 25-21 and take a 1-0 match lead.
After late momentum carried the T-birds in set one, early momentum led GCU to start hot in set two. The visitors jumped out to a 12-2 advantage, but SUU scratched and clawed their way back into the set. Tearing off an 18-8 run, the T-birds marched back to knot the score at 20. The magic did not last, however, as the Lopes answered with a 5-1 spurt to take set two 25-21 and tie the match at 1-1.
While the third set was relatively close, Grand Canyon led the entire way aside from the two points. SUU got within two (6-4), but GCU eventually stretched its lead to 10 (21-11). From there, the T-birds were unable to get any closer than five (24-19) and the Lopes closed the set with a 25-19 win to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
Set four was back and forth at the start, as the two teams split the first 18 points (9-9). A 4-0 SUU spurt gave the home team a 13-9 lead, but GCU countered with a 4-0 run of their own to tie it once again. The T-birds followed by notching six of the next seven points, jumping back in front 19-14. Grand Canyon cut the deficit to two (20-18) but wouldn’t get any closer as SUU closed out the set for a 25-21 win to force a deciding fifth set.
The Lopes began the fifth set hot, taking a 7-3 lead that forced a Southern Utah timeout. The T-birds answered with a 4-0 spurt out of the timeout, evening the score at 7-7. A 4-0 answer from GCU followed, making it 11-7. SUU was able to get within three (14-11), but the visitors notched the final point to claim the set 15-11 and win the match 3-2.
Teniyah Leuluai led the T-birds in assists in the match, tallying 40. Andrea Spasojevic led the team in kills (16), while Arianna Rossi added a match-high 19 digs.
Up next
SUU (8-9, 4-2 WAC) hits the road for its next four matches, first traveling to Seattle U.
The T-birds will battle the Redhawks on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. MT, and the match can be viewed on ESPN+.