Highlanders Hang Tough, Ultimately Fall in Five Sets to Utah Valley

Saturday, September 12

Kansas City, MO

11:30 AM / 10:30 AM (CT)

Radford University

2-8,0-0Big South

Utah Valley

2-7,0-0Big West

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Utah Valley	25	17	25	19	16	3
Radford	20	25	22	25	14	2

Highlanders Hang Tough, Ultimately Fall in Five Sets to Utah Valley

9/12/2026 2:30:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In a match that was back and forth from the first point, the Radford volleyball program came up just short in a five set final to Utah Valley 3-2 on Saturday morning.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

After getting her first major reps yesterday, it was a breakout showing for Ela Shepherd against Utah Valley as she set career highs for kills (6), assists (21), and digs (12).
Taryn Roberts continued her strong weekend with a team high 16 kills on a .353 attack percentage. Addison Cunnagin was right behind her with 13 kills.
Radford had nine total blocks in the contest, tied for a season high, with those efforts led by Maja Bochenek and Aubrey Hatch who each had five block assists.
The Highlanders also totaled eight aces with Mia Jannazzo, Macie Potter and Lea Gage each picking up a pair.
Four different Highlanders totaled 10+ digs with Jannazzo leading the pack with 28.

PLAY BY PLAY
Setting the tone for the match was a close first set that Radford would lead early. Potter and Cunnagin accounted for seven of the team's 12 kills in the opener and that duo was there at the start to put Radford up 7-5. Radford maintained that lead throughout the set and would lead by as much as 18-14 before Utah Valley called a timeout to regroup. Regroup they did, as the Wolverines would come back with a force going on an 11-2 run to end the first set in their favor 25-20.

In set two, the Highlanders came back with a force as Roberts started to find her groove connecting for four kills on all four attempts she had in the set. Overall, Radford out hit Utah Valley .265 to .156 and was strong on the serve with three aces and no errors. Ahead 9-7, Radford got a big run going as Hatch and Potter tallied kills. After the 8-2 run, Radford would close things out late behind three straight kills from Cunnagin for their most dominant set score of the match 25-17.

Set three was back to another close affair despite another Radford lead near the midway point. The Highlanders would go ahead 14-11 behind more kills from Cunnagin and Roberts, but through and out of the media timeout points would be traded back and forth. Hatch and Potter helped keep the Highlanders close, but down the stretch the Wolverines took over and eventually pulled out the 25-22 third set final for a 2-1 lead.

Once again, Radford returned with a force in set four to force the tiebreaker. Leading 9-7 Radford scored a 5-1 run to take a commanding lead at the media break. Kills from Ryno and Roberts paced the offense and out of the media break Radford continued to pace ahead 21-15. Ryno would help cap the impressive set while back-to-back kills from Katrina Miller sealed it 25-19 in Radford's favor. The set was by far Radford's most dominant on the offensive end as the team hit .581 with 19 kills. Roberts and Ryno combined for 10 of those kills while Bochenek also added three.

Radford would lead 4-1 early in the fifth set as Shepherd tallied a kill and the team took advantage of some opposing miscues. The Wolverines stormed back with a 4-0 run, though, and the Highlanders were now trailing. Miller, Hatch and Ryno provided some answers for the Highlanders with kills but the team was unable to retake that lead. Down 14-12 Radford forced an extension of the match as Shepherd and Bochenek got big kills. Utah Valley held on, though, and scored the final two points to slip away 16-14 and take the match 3-2.

UP NEXT
The Highlanders stick to the road for their final midweek nonconference bout as they visit North Carolina Central on Tuesday, September 15th for a 6:00 p.m. start.

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