SDSU VOLLEYBALL: AZTECS COME BACK TO DEFEAT UTAH STATE IN FIVE SETS

Volleyball downs Utah State in MW opener

Source: goaztecs.com press release

Photo: Danielle Bolden had a career-high five service aces in the win over Utah State Saturday night on Aztec Court.  Courtesy goaztecs.com

September 25, 2016 (San Diego) - San Diego State rallied from a 2-1 set deficit to defeat visiting Utah State in five sets (26-28, 25-19, 24-26, 25-7, 15-13) Saturday evening on Aztec Court. The win was the fifth in the last six outings for the Aztecs, who improved to 9-6 overall and 1-0 in the Mountain West. Utah State, meanwhile saw its record drop to 6-7 (1-1 MW).

Sophomore outside hitter Alexandra Psoma led SDSU with 18 kills, one shy of her SDSU career best. She hit .325 over the five sets and also chipped in with four digs and a service ace.

Two other Aztecs ended the evening in double figures in kills including Deja Harris with 14 and Emma Fuzie with 10. Harris continued her hot hitting as she recorded a .545 attack percentage while adding three blocks to her final stat line. Fuzie also notched four blocks and a dig.

Setter Indigo Thompson set her SDSU high with 58 assists while defensive specialist Danielle Bolden had a season and career high five service aces. In addition, libero Devyn Pritchard set her season best with 23 digs to lead all players in the match.

In the opening set neither team could gain a sizeable advantage and the score was tied late at 20-20. SDSU then won four of the next five points to go up 24-21 with three match point opportunities. But the Aggies fought back to tie it at 24-all and the teams then traded two points apiece to go to 26-26. At that point, Utah State used an SDSU attack error and a service ace to claim the two-point set win. Psoma led the Aztecs with four kills in the contest.

The second set was another tight affair that was tied 16-16 when San Diego State ran off six straight points to take control of the contest at 22-16. The Aztecs held their advantage and with a 24-19 lead got a kill from Alexis Cage to win the set and even the match at one apiece. Psoma had seven kills to account for half of her team’s total in the contest.

Set number three was the second of the night that went to extra points with the visitors claiming the two-point victory at 26-24. The Aztecs had a chance at set point with a 24-23 lead, but the Aggies scored three straight points for the win. Harris led SDSU with five kills in the set, but the Aztec found themselves trailing 2-1 in the match.

The fourth set was all San Diego State from the outset as it jumped out to an 11-3 lead and built on that advantage over the remainder of the contest. Psoma and Harris had four kills apiece for the Aztecs, who also got four service aces from Bolden to tie the match at 2-2.

The fifth and deciding set featured seven tied scores and three lead changes as neither team was able to pull away over the course of the contest. Things did not look promising for the Aztec as they trailed 13-12 late in the set, but a combination block by Cage and Fuzie followed by another from Harris and Cage put SDSU up 14-13, and an ensuing Aggie attack error sealed the set and match victory for SDSU.

San Diego State will now prepare for its first league road trip of the year that gets underway on Thursday, Sept. 29, with a match at Boise State set to start at 7:30 p.m. (MT).