MOSCOW, Idaho – The University of Idaho Volleyball team opened Big Sky Conference play and their first home match of the season defeating Southern Utah 3-1 Sunday afternoon. After falling behind 0-1 to begin the match the Vandals (2-1, 1-0) won three straight sets over the Thunderbirds (0-2, 0-1) to win the match 3-1.

Kennedy Warren led the Vandals for the third consecutive game with 25 kills, tying her career-high, and totaled 14 digs for a double-double.  Donne'e Janzen totaled 55 assists, just two shy of her career-high. Becca Owen led the Vandals with 21 digs. Allison Munday led the Vandals with six total blocks, including four block assists and two solo blocks.

Kennedy Warren notched a kill giving Idaho an 18-16 lead in the first set. After giving up a point, Idaho added two more for a 20-17 advantage. The Vandals pushed towards the finish line in the first set, going up 23-21 following a Thunderbird attack error. However, Southern Utah scored the final four points of the first set, winning 25-23.

Early in the second set the Vandals jumped out to a 10-2 lead following kills from Nikki Ball and Warren, along with several Southern Utah attack errors.

The eight-points Idaho lead quickly grew to 10, 15-5, following a service ace from Adrianna Kazmaier. Two kills from Ball helped extend the lead to 13, 18-5 and the Vandals were in full control. After a ball handling error by the Thunderbirds put Idaho up 23-13, the Vandals struggled to finish the set, allowing a 5-0 run by the visitors. An Allison Munday kill gave Idaho the set point, 24-18, but the Thunderbirds tallied three more points before Avery Housley finished off the set win, 25-21.

Both sides battled back and forth throughout the third set as neither side could build a solid lead. Down 22-19, Idaho scored four consecutive points, which included kills from Warren and Munday, to take a lead 23-22. The home side held a 24-23 advantage that quickly turned into a 25-24 lead for the visitors after a Vandals attack error. Idaho responded with a 3-0 run to win the match 27-25. Janzen scored the set-winning kill.

Much like the third set, both squads battled back and forth in the fourth. Southern Utah led for majority of the set and by as many as four. Down 18-16, the Vandals rallied to take a 21-18 lead and never looked back. The run included three visitor errors and was capped with a kill from Warren. Southern Utah came within one down the stretch, but two kills from Warren and one from Bea Whitling in the final points sealed the deal. Warren's career-high tying 25^th killed notched the set victory, 25-21 and secured the match win, 3-1.

 Idaho totaled 64 kills, a season-high, compared to just 54 for Southern Utah. Idaho posted a .253 hitting percentage, their highest so far this season, narrowly surpassing the Thunderbirds who his .238 in the match. Total blocks and aces were in favor of the visiting side, but the Vandals outshined Southern Utah in digs, 67-53.

QUOTES: HEAD COACH DEBBIE BUCHANAN



The Vandals are back in action tomorrow for game two against Southern Utah in Memorial Gym. First serve is set for 6 p.m.