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Aztecs post second-best efficiency of the season at .305 in loss
Source: goaztecs.com
Photo courtesy goaztecs.com
November 4, 2023 (San Diego) - Despite a high-octane attack, the San Diego State volleyball team dropped a hard-fought match Saturday, falling in four sets to Fresno State (25-27, 25-15, 29-31, 20-25) in Mountain West action on Aztec Court at Peterson Gym.
The Aztecs (9-16, 4-10 MW) posted their second-highest hitting percentage of the season with a .305 clip, but it wasn’t enough to avoid a season sweep at the hands of the Bulldogs, who finished with a .352 efficiency in a see-saw battle.
The teams were statistically even for the most part, as SDSU tied its season high with 10 service aces, compared to eight for Fresno State. However, the Bulldogs maintained a slight edge in kills (61-60) and team blocks (9.0 to 6.0), overcoming 12 service errors to escape with the win.
The Aztecs’ 60 put-aways marked the squad’s highest output in a four-set contest this season.
Individually, SDSU was paced by Heipua Tautua’a, who tied for match-high honors with 14 kills, while Taylor Underwood blasted 11 strikes of her own.
The Scarlet and Black’s fortunes were also bolstered by Madison Corf (.333), who totaled nine kills and three blocks, including two solo stuffs, while Amber Keen launched a career-high seven non-returnables without an error in 11 swings, finishing with a .636 hitting percentage to go with a pair of block assists.
Elsewhere, Bailey Darnell tied for match-high honors with 12 digs and served up a collegiate-best four aces, while Fatimah Hall (30 assists) and Sarena Gonzalez (18 assists) customarily split the setting chores.
The Aztecs faced a 20-18 deficit late in the opening frame before two Corf kills, sandwiched around another put-away by Julia Haynie, vaulted the host school in front for the first time in the match. Moments later, SDSU reached set point at 24-22 following a Bulldog service error, but the Aztecs’ ensuing serve went awry, giving the Bulldogs new life.
Shortly thereafter, Corf smashed another kill, putting SDSU on top once again at 25-24. However. Fresno State scored three straight points to steal the set. Kasey Purry floored a shot; Brooke Cowie followed with a service ace, while Addison Haluska provided the clinching kill, much to the dismay of the home crowd.
The Bulldogs held a slight edge in hitting percentage (.387 to .343) and kills (17-16) during the opening set. Corf led the Aztecs with six kills in the frame, hitting .455 after committing just one error in 11 attempts, while Underwood (.333) totaled four put-aways against one miscue on nine swings in that span.
Stung, SDSU responded with its best attack percentage of the afternoon with a .455 efficiency in the second stanza, blasting 12 kills with two errors in 22 attempts. Conversely, the Aztecs limited the Bulldogs to a .138 clip in the set (10-6-29) to help even the match.
Keen floored all four of her shots in the frame, while Tautua’a blasted three kills without an error in six attempts. In addition, Corf registered two solo blocks.
The Aztecs broke open a tight 13-10 score with an impressive 12-5 closing run to knot the set scoreboard. Keen knocked down two kills in that stretch, while Darnell served up two of her aces. Not to be outdone, Underwood secured the set with one of her three aces on the day.
SDSU found itself in pursuit mode for most of the third set, as Fresno State ultimately built a 22-15 lead following a kill by Grace Doyle. Incredibly, the Aztecs fought themselves off the proverbial ropes with a gritty 14-6 surge to reach set point in extended play at 29-28.
SDSU received two kills apiece from Underwood, Tautua’a and Darnell in that span, as the latter supplied a service ace as well, along with Douglas. However, the Bulldogs abruptly stole the momentum with kills by Doyle and Cowie, sandwiched around an Aztec ball-handling error.
Fresno State combined for 21 kills against three errors in 40 attempts during the set, fashioning a .450 hitting percentage, while the Aztecs compiled a .333 efficiency with 17 put-aways against four miscues in 39 tries. Tautua’a launched six of her kills in the frame, while Underwood had four.
Set four witnessed five early ties and four lead changes, with SDSU nearly overcoming a five-point deficit after knotting the score at 18-18 with a 7-2 blitz. Underwood fueled the run with consecutive aces, while Haynie blasted a pair of kills.
However, the Aztecs were unable to seize the upper hand, as the Bulldogs closed out the match with a 7-2 spurt of their own. Doyle took center stage down the stretch with a kill and two block assists, joining forces with Ella Rud on one stop before teaming with Jenna Legault for the clincher.
SDSU was limited to a .143 attack percentage in the set, offsetting 15 kills with 10 errors in 35 attempts, while Fresno State kept its furious pace, posting a .393 clip in that span with 13 put-aways against just two errors in 28 swings.
Haluska tied the Aztecs’ Tautua’a with 14 kills on the day, while three other Bulldogs finished with double-digit put-aways, including Doyle (13), Legault (13) and Purry (10), who did not commit an error in 13 attempts for a .769 hitting percentage. Purry also led all players with five blocks, including a solo stop.
San Diego State resumes its homestand next week when it plays host to Wyoming on Thursday, Nov. 9 starting at 6 p.m. before entertaining Colorado State on Saturday, Nov. 11 beginning at 1 p.m.
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