(Honolulu, Sept. 4, 2026) - The Trailblazers survived a five-set thriller over UC San Diego on Friday night on day two of the OUTRIGGER Invitational at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
Winning the first two sets over the Tritons, 25-19, 25-20, UCSD took sets three & four, 25-19, 25-22 to force a decisive fifth set.
Utah Tech (3-2) was able to survive the fifth set, 15-13 to stave off the Tritons' attempt at a reverse sweep.
Leading the Trailblazers in kills for a fifth straight match to open the season, senior opposite hitterÂ
Nana Asiata led the team with 16 kills while adding three blocks & three digs.
The duo of
Sydney Reese &
Tessa Treanor each registered 13 kills apiece while senior setter
Marley Roe posted her third double-double of the season leading the team with 25 assists & recorded 10 digs.
Senior libero
Mya Laufiso led the team in digs with 12 &Â Treanor added her first double-double of the season tallying 11 digs.
How It Happened
UC San Diego (2-3) jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the opening set, but a 14-8 run by the Trailblazers pushed Utah Tech ahead 15-14 midway through the set after a kill by
Shaylee Dahle.
With UCSD keeping the set within one at 19-18, UT closed out the set on a 6-1 run capped off by a kill by Treanor to take a 1-0 set lead.
Another quick start for the Tritons in the second set saw UCSD get out to a 5-1 lead. A 10-2 run for the Trailblazers pushed UT in front, 11-7 after a service ace by Hawaii native
Kaleinani Watson.
A kill by the Tritons ended the run, but the Trailblazers quickly answered back with five straight points extending their lead to 16-8 after four kills and a service ace by Dahle.
Continuing to lead by eight at 23-15 after a kill by Reese, the Trailblazers final two points of the set came on kills by Reese.
With UC San Diego taking the third set, 25-19, the Trailblazers looked like they may be able to close out the match in four sets pulling within 23-22 in the fourth set after a kill by Asiata, but a pair of Trailblazer attack errors allowed the Tritons to claim the set.
A quick 5-1 lead for the Trailblazers got the fifth set started, but a 5-2 run for UCSD brought the Tritons within one at 7-6.
A service ace by Watson capped a 3-0 run to push UT in front, 10-6 and a kill by Reese kept the Trailblazers in front by four 12-8.
A 5-1 run, that included a successful challenge for the Tritons, locked up the set at 13.
Fortunately for the Trailblazers the final two points of the match went their way via a kill by Asiata & a UCSD attack error.
Numbers to Know
- Utah Tech improves to 3-0 all-time against UC San Diego and earns their first win against the Tritons as a member of Division I.
- The Trailblazers were 2-3 in five-set contests last season and it was their first win in five sets since Nov. 8, 2025 at California Baptist.
- UC San Diego led the Trailblazers in kills (65-62), service aces (8-6), blocks (10-8) & digs (69-60) while UT led the Tritons in hitting percentage (.258-.216).
Up Next
The Trailblazers close out the OUTRIGGER Invitational on Sunday night against Loyola Marymount (4-0) at 6 p.m. MT.
