Volleyball falls to Utah State

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From SMUMustangs.com:

SMU Drops Game Two Of Ameritas Players Challenge Against Utah State

LINCOLN, NEB. (SMU)-- SMU Volleyball lost to Utah State 3-1 (25-21, 18-25, 21-25, 22-25) on Saturday in its second match at the Ameritas Players Challenge in the Bob Devaney Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska.

Naya Shime led the SMU offense with her first double-double of the season, tallying 17 kills and 14 digs while adding three blocks. Lauren Ohlinger had nine kills, and two blocks and digs, while Emma Clothier added seven kills and seven blocks.

Alex Glover tallied seven kills and chipped in a pair of blocks and digs. Jamison Wheeler recorded four kills and 10 digs. Natalie Perdue notched four kills and four digs, while Brooke Frazier recorded 12 digs. Celia Cullen passed out 35 assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Set One:
Starting the match for SMU were Celia Cullen, Emma Clothier, Alex Glover, Sina Uluave, Jamison Wheeler, Naya Shime and Brooke Frazier. It was the first career start as a Mustang for Uluave. The match began with a Shime kill and Frazier service ace. SMU countered a Utah State run with four unanswered to create an 8-6 advantage. The set remained tight until 17-17, where SMU used a 6-0 run through two Utah State timeouts to take over the set. Glover's fifth kill edged out the Aggies 25-21 in the first frame.

Set Two:
The teams battled back and forth through the second set with several ties and one lead change. The Mustangs were in control early, but Utah State took a two point lead midway through the set. SMU battled back to tie the set several times, but an Aggie run forced SMU to call time after trailing 19-16. Utah State continued its run to take the second set by a 25-18 margin.

Set Three:
Utah State got out to an early lead. Four unanswered gave the Aggies a 15-10 advantage. The Mustangs countered with a 4-0 run of their own, forcing a Utah State timeout after bringing the set within one. SMU's run continued out of the timeout, tying the set after Clothier's fifth kill of the match. Each team went on runs of three apiece, evening the match at 19 and forcing Utah State to burn its final timeout of the set. The Aggies made one last run through a pair of Mustang timeouts to take the set 25-21.

Set Four:
Utah State jumped out to a 7-2 lead. Ohlinger registered a trio of kills to keep the Mustangs within striking distance midway through the set. SMU countered a Utah State run with four straight, bringing the match within three and forcing the Aggies to call time. A Perdue and back-to-back Shime kills extended the Mustang run and tied the match at 15. Clothier's seventh block of the match gave SMU its first lead of the set. Utah State took four out of five points to take a 21-18 lead. The Mustangs fought back, and a Glover kill evened the match at 22 apiece. Utah State scored the following three points to take the match.

SMU NOTES:
SMU Kills Leader: Naya Shime (17)
SMU Assist Leader: Celia Cullen (35)
SMU Digs Leader: Naya Shime (14)
SMU Blocks Leader: Emma Clothier (7)
SMU Ace Leader: Casey Batenhorst (2)

NOTABLES:
At least three Mustangs recorded 5+ kills for the second consecutive match.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES:
Naya Shime recorded her first double-double of the 2023 season (17 kills, 14 digs).

TEAM RECORDS SERIES NOTES:

SMU fell to 1-1 overall.
The all-time series with Utah State is tied 1-1.

UP NEXT
The Mustangs return to action on Sunday against No. 5 Nebraska at 2 p.m. in the Devaney Center.