Volleyball Game Preview: Hillcrest Huskies vs. Payson Lions

Hillcrest hasn't had much luck against Payson recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Huskies will be playing in front of their home fans against the Lions at 6:00 p.m.

Hillcrest came up short against Alta on Tuesday, falling 3-0.

While Hillcrest was kept off the board, it wasn't for a lack of trying: they cut into Alta's winning margin in every set. The final score came out to 25-11, 25-16, 25-20.

Meanwhile, Payson had to travel to play their first game of the season, but the final result was worth the trip. They were the clear victors by a 3-0 margin over Timpanogos on Thursday. The win continues a trend for the Lions in their matchups with the Timberwolves: they've now won four in a row.

Payson was especially dominant in the third set. Once all was said and done, the final score wound up at 25-17, 25-21, 25-4.

Hillcrest better focus on containing Allie Mangum and Brynley Nielson as the pair were huge in Payson's win. Mangum had five aces and three digs, while Nielson had six digs and three aces. That's the most aces Nielson has posted since back in October of 2024.

Hillcrest now has a losing record of 1-2. As for Payson, their victory bumped their record up to 1-0.

Hillcrest might still be hurting after the 3-0 loss they got from Payson in their previous meeting back in November of 2024. Will the Huskies have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more volleyball content.