Sojic Records Career-High, T-Birds Defeat Frank in 5

Andjela Sojic's career-high 25 kills led the Thunderbirds to a five-set win over Frank Phillips on Saturday, Oct. 12 (19-25, 25-14, 24-26, 25-20,16-14). 

The T-Birds were tied 13-13 at the midway point of the first set, however Frank began to pull away toward the latter part of the frame and led 21-17. The T-Birds would go on to fall 25-19 in Set 1. Set 2 was all Thunderbirds with NMJC handling the Plainsmen 25-14 to tie up the sets at one apiece. 

The third set was knotted up at 14-14 before Frank Phillips went on a 5-0 run to take a 19-14 lead. The Plainsmen went up 24-21 and had three opportunities to close out the set, but NMJC battled to tie the score at 24. Frank outlasted the Thunderbirds on the fourth set point and took a 2-1 set lead with a 26-24 win in the third.

The T-Birds won the fourth set 25-20 to survive and extend the match.

NMJC trailed 12-11 late in the fifth set. The Plainsmen took a commanding 14-12 lead and had two match point opportunities. Sojic brought the T-Birds within one point with a tip kill over the Plainsmen. NMJC went right back to Sojic and she delivered to tie the match with a kill that was deflected out of play. 

If it ain't broke don't fix it and that's what the T-Birds did with another set that led to a kill by Sojic and gave the Thunderbirds a 15-14 lead. On match point, the ball pinballed around for 37 seconds before Sojic delivered her fourth straight kill to complete the comeback and give the T-Birds a 16-14 win in the fifth and final set. 

Sojic's 25 kills in the five-set thriller was third all-time for most kills in a match trailing only Andrea Spasojevic (26) and Iva Popovic (28). 

Libero Sofie Caballero came in relief of the injured Izabella Rabello and recorded a career-high 27 digs. Right side Milka Krajisnik finished with nine kills.

Outside hitter Leticia Neves recorded eight kills and six digs. Setter Sude Omerickoglu registered 30 assists and eight digs. Sophomore Taina de Lima Nunes added 23 assists. 

The Thunderbirds improve to 15-9 (5-3) and are third in the WJCAC standings. The T-Birds will face Clarendon College Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 6 p.m. MDT at home inside the Caster Activity Center.