CEDAR CITY, Utah – After falling behind 0-2, Saint Mary's mounted an impressive comeback to send things into a fifth and final set. However, despite outpacing Southern Utah in nearly every statistical category, the Thunderbirds managed to sneak a five-set victory out from under the Gaels.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

 • SET ONE | The Thunderbirds pulled out to an early, 7-4 advantage in the opening set, but a two-point SMC run cut the deficit to one. However, a 6-2 Southern Utah streak made it 13-8 in favor of the Gaels' adversary. Then, trailing by five, the Gaels went on a late, 6-2 run to pull within one point (21-20) which forced Southern Utah to take a timeout. After the break, senior Sienna Young recorded her fifth kill to tie the match at 21-all. Then, freshman Elena Baka's second kill gave SMC their first lead of the match (22-21). Another kill by Young made it a 6-0 Saint Mary's run which forced the Thunderbirds to take yet another timeout with the Gaels in the lead, 23-21. Southern Utah responded with two straight points of their own to tie things up at 23-23. Young delivered once again with a kill in the following point to give the Gaels a set point. However, the Thunderbirds managed to tie the set once again and took a 25-24 lead. SMC came right back to tie the match at 25 points apiece and again at 26-26, but Southern Utah managed to hang on for a 28-26 victory.
 
• SET TWO | The Gaels led first in set No. 2, taking a 3-1 lead after four points had been played. The Thunderbirds took their first lead of the period when they went ahead 8-1 and they eventually pulled out to a three-point, 10-7 lead. However, Saint Mary's responded with a run of their own, scoring six-consecutive points to regain the lead (13-10). Back-and-forth play continued as a 5-point scoring streak from SUU made it 15-13 Thunderbirds. As the match would have it, the set continued to swing from one side to another and the score found itself tied at 18-18. From there, Southern Utah pulled ahead and did not look back, taking a 2-0 lead in the match with a 25-20 victory in the second set.   
 
• SET THREE | It was all Gaels in the third frame, taking a 4-0 lead and eventually an 11-2 advantage. The Thunderbirds looked to inch their way back however, pulling within four points (18-14). Nonetheless, their efforts were too little, too late as SMC denied the sweep with a 25-21 victory in the third set.
 
• SET FOUR | Saint Mary's initially led 5-3 in what proved to be yet another tightly-contested set. After trailing 8-6, a kill by senior Aubrey Pitts and a service ace by sophomore Abigail "Abby" Matoso tied the score at 8-8. The Gaels next took the lead at 13-11 after a 3-point run which forced SUU to take a timeout. SMC pushed their lead to three (14-11) after four unanswered points and another 4-0 Gaels run made it 18-13 in favor of Saint Mary's. The Gaels maintained their lead throughout the remainder of the set and a 25-17 victory forced a decisive, fifth set.
 
• SET FIVE | SMC fell behind early in the fifth set as they trailed 7-3 through ten points. However, a 3-0 Gaels run brought Saint Mary's to within one (7-6). After two unanswered Thunderbird points, the Gaels took a timeout, but SUU continued to pull ahead. Southern Utah utilized a five-point run to take a 12-6 advantage and ultimately rode their momentum to a 15-8 set win and a 3-2 victory.  

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
 
7-7: Young was a perfect, 7-7 in kills in the first set
2: No. of Gael double-doubles: Ashley (15 kills, 16 digs), sophomore Alosina Thompson (30 assists – a career-high, 10 digs)
4: No. of statistical categories in which SMC outperformed their opponent (kills, hitting percentage, digs, and blocks)
6: No. of blocks for Pitts (her most since November 10, 2018 versus Gonzaga)
18: No. of blocks for SMC (tied for 10th all-time in program history)
60: No. of kills for Saint Mary's (most as a team since November 8, 2018 at Portland)

UP NEXT
 
The Gaels will continue the Thunderbird Classic on Friday with a 3:00 p.m. PT start against Boise State.

#GaelsRise – For ticket information to all home volleyball matches, call the SMC Ticket Office today at 925-631-4689 or click the ticket link here to purchase your seats now.