NOTES WATCH LIVE STATS
MOSCOW, Idaho—Idaho volleyball returns home to Moscow, Idaho to kick off the Big Sky season against Southern Utah in Memorial Gym.
The Vandals and Thunderbirds will first face off on Sunday, Jan. 31st at 2 p.m. followed by game two on Monday at 6 p.m. in Memorial Gym.
Sunday's home match marks the first match for Idaho in Memorial Gym in 443 days, dating back to Nov. 15, 2019, when the Vandals fell to Northern Colorado. The Big Sky's previously scheduled fall season was pushed to the spring due to COVID-19 health and safety concerns. Idaho kicked off the spring 2021 season last week in a nonconference series at Portland State, finishing 1-1 on the weekend.
FOLLOW: Fans can watch the game live on Pluto TV Channel 1060 and follow live stats at GoVandals.com/VBstats. Follow along on twitter @IdahoVolleyball
LAST MEETING: Idaho and Southern Utah played each other twice in 2019, splitting the series. In the first meeting on Oct. 18, in Moscow, the Vandals won 3-1. Later in the season in Cedar City, Utah, on Nov. 21, Idaho fell 0-3.
Paige Rupiper had 18 kills in last year's win over the Thunderbirds. Returners
Kennedy Warren and
Avery Housley each had 10.
BOUNCE BACK: Despite dropping the first contest of the season on Jan. 24 the Vandals bounced back the next day to defeat Portland State in five sets. The Vandals led 2-0 and fought off a Viking comeback in the fifth set, winning 3-2. The Vandals will play their first game in Memorial Gym in 443 days riding off the momentum of their first win of the season.
TOUGH AT THE NET: Last time out against Portland State the Vandals totaled 37 block assists and 19 total blocks. The Vandals' 37 block assists are the third most all-time in a single match in Idaho volleyball history and are the most since 2010.
Nikki Ball had 11 total blocks and 10 block assists. She also had the only solo block for the Vandals.
RETURNING HOME: After opening the season on the road in Portland last week the Vandals return home Sunday to kick off Big Sky play. Sunday's match will be the first for the Vandals in Memorial Gym since Nov. 15, 443 days ago.
GOING THE DISTANCE: Both of Idaho's matches this season have gone to five sets. The Vandals are 1-1 in those contests. Idaho is 2-0 in the second set so far this year and 0-2 in the fourth set.
LEADING THE ATTACK: Kennedy Warren and
Avery Housley are leading the Vandals' offense this season having totaled 26 and 22 kills, respectively. Both have played all 10 sets. In their first win of the season Warren totaled a team-high 14 kills while Housley chipped in 10.
SHARING THE BALL: So far three setters have played for the Vandals this season.
Peyten Ely has played in eight sets while
Hailey Pelton and Donne'e Janzen have played in six and five, respectively. Pelton leads the Vandals in assists with 44 and is averaging 7.3 per set. She totaled a season-high 35 against Portland State in the win. In game one the setters shared time. Janzen totaled a team-high 25 assists while Ely had 10 and Pelton had nine.
Fans can stay up to date on all things Idaho volleyball by following the team on Twitter and Instagram, @IdahoVolleyball.
For more information on Idaho Athletics, visit GoVandals.com. Fans can also find Idaho on Twitter and Instagram, @Idaho_Vandals, or on Facebook by searching Idaho Vandals.
