White Bests Red in Volleyball's Preview Scrimmage Add Comment    Sep 19, 2010

CEDAR CITY, Utah - Aug. 21 - Jazmine Ma'afala and Analaine Pelaez combined for 17 kills as the white team captured a 2-1 (25-21, 22-25, 15-10) victory over the red team in SUU volleyball's Red/White Scrimmage on Saturday night.  Ma'afala and Pelaez were anticipated to lead the T-Birds during the 2010 season, but the night also featured some strong play by SUU freshmen.

"I hope that everybody was able to get their nerves out with this game," head coach Debby Baker said.  "It was great to have the girls play under some pressure and it really helped to solidify who our starting six will be when we open the season at Wyoming."

The white team opened the first set in a hole, surrendering the first two points of the stanza before drawing even at 4-4.  Red recaptured the lead, building a margin of as much as four (11-7) before white battled back late to tie the score at 13-13 and 15-15.  The scored was deadlocked at 17-17 when white finally made its move, closing out the first set on an 8-4 run to secure the 25-21 victory.

Ma'afala recorded five of her nine kills of the night during the first set, pulling together a .400 attacking percentage with five kills on ten attempts with only one error.

The teams shuffled in the second set with several players switching sides.  The dynamic of the game also changed as red posted a 25-22 victory over white.  True freshman Alissa Youart led white with four kills and was followed closely by senior Megan Metcalf with three.  White made the most of nine attacking errors and three service errors by red and combined for six blocks to pick up the victory.

The final set proved to be hard fought as the teams tied at 3-3, 4-4, 6-6 and 7-7 before white created some separation with a 4-0 run that was capped by a Ma'afala kill.  Red mustered only three more points down the stretch as Youart punctuated the set with her seventh kill of the night and her first of the night for white to give the white team the 15-10 victory.

Brittney Clark led the team with 30 assists during the night and was followed by Megan Clyde with 13.  True freshman Kylie Schofield led the team with four block assists, coupling with sophomore Cashaana Renfro for a very formidable block on the right side.  Renfro finished the night tied for the second on the team with a pair of block assists.

Southern Utah will officially open its season when the Thunderbirds take part in the UniWyo Wyoming Invitational during the final weekend of August.  SUU is scheduled to face Murray State, Wyoming, Northern Arizona and Central Arkansas with the first match slated for August 27 at 9:00 a.m.

-Utah College Sports News staff and wire reports

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Utah College Sports Wire