(St. George, Utah - Sept. 19, 2024) - The Trailblazer volleyball team opened its home slate on Thursday night falling in straight sets to Northern Arizona at Burns Arena.

In front of nearly 1,000 fans, Utah Tech (6-3) battled tough all match long, but dropped sets, 19-25, 23-25, 25-27 to Northern Arizona (6-4).

Junior outside hitter Kennedi Knudsen led the Trailblazers with 15 kills as she has now reached double digit kills in all nine matches this season.

Sophomore outside hitter Tessa Treanor tallied a team-best 11 digs while sophomore setter Marley Roe added a team-high 19 assists.

A back-and-forth opening set saw a 14-14 draw to start before the Lumberjacks went up 19-15.

Two quick points for the Trailblazers cut NAU's lead down to two, but it was all Lumberjacks from there finishing the set on a 6-2 run.

A kill by the Blazers' Taylor Snow put UT ahead 11-8 in the early going of the second set.

After each team went on separate 3-0 runs to lock the set up at 17, a 5-1 run for NAU put the Lumberjacks ahead 22-18. Back-to-back kills by Treanor and Roe cut the Jacks' lead down to one, but that was as close as the Blazers could get as NAU took the set, 25-23.

Getting off to a blazing start to the third set, the Trailblazers led 9-2 after a service ace by Kaycee Bugas. A kill by Casidy Fried kept the Blazers in front, 13-8, but an 11-1 run by NAU pushed the Lumberjacks back in front, 19-14. A 5-2 run by the Trailblazers, capped by a kill by Knudsen, brought UT back within two at 21-19.

Two more points for NAU pushed the visitors' lead to four, but a 5-0 run for the Trailblazers gave UT back the lead at 24-23. A kill by Treanor locked up the set at 25 apiece, but the final two points of the set went to NAU to complete the sweep.

The Trailblazers and Lumberjacks complete the home-and-home on Saturday afternoon with a contest at 2 p.m. in Flagstaff at Rolle Activity Center.