Oct. 16, 2008
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State used a balanced attack with four players in double figures in kills as it defeated Wyoming, 3-2 (20-25, 25-12, 25-10, 20-25, 15-11), Thursday evening in Peterson Gym. The Aztecs recorded their best attack percentage of the season (.374) as they improved to 6-11 overall and 3-4 in the Mountain West Conference.
For the Cowgirls, it marked the fifth time this season that they took a match to five sets only to fall short at the end. The loss dropped UW to 3-13 (2-5 MWC).
Stephanie Darnall paced the SDSU attack with 18 kills and rounded out a double-double effort with 13 digs. Both totals were season highs for the junior outside hitter.
Joining Darnall among the Aztecs kill leaders were Lauren Salisbury (13), Kyley Sexton (11) and Lauren Van Orden (10). Salisbury hit .684 over the five sets while Van Orden finished with a .600 attack percentage. It also marked the third straight match in which Sexton reached double figures in kills.
The Aztecs out-blocked the Cowgirls by a 10-5 margin, led by Bailee Hellwig's six along with three apiece from Darnall, Sexton and Kelsey Manasco. Setter Leah Lathrop recorded 30 assists, six digs and three service aces while Van Orden chipped in with 22 assists.
Defensively, libero Michelle Ferrer had 16 digs while freshman defensive specialist Courtney Miller had 11 along with a pair of service aces.
For the Cowgirls, Dani Bedore notched 16 kills while teammate Jenna Arneson had 15 along with 11 digs. Wyoming finished with a .163 hitting percentage as a team.
In the opening set, the teams stayed within two points of each other with the score eventually tied at 18-18 late in the contest. Wyoming then scored three straight points on a kill by Bedore and a pair of service aces by Carissa Lee. The Cowgirls finished off the set with a pair of emphatic kills by Arneson. Bedore led all players with five kills while Salisbury had four for the Aztecs.
The second set saw San Diego State score the first three points and lead the rest of the way to tie the match at a set apiece. Van Orden had four kills and Salisbury added three as the Aztecs hit .571 while holding the visitors to a .041 attack percentage. Five of SDSU's points came on blocks led by three from Hellwig.
The Aztecs retained the momentum after the break and ran out to an 11-1 advantage in set three behind three kills apiece from Darnall and Sexton. Darnall accounted for half of SDSU's kills in the contest with seven as San Diego State hit well over the .500 mark (.545) as a team
The Aztecs appeared to be in control of the fourth set when they jumped out to an 8-3 lead. At that point, however, the Cowgirls ran off 10 straight points behind the serving of Bedore and kills by four different players. SDSU fought back to get within a point at 13-12, but Wyoming put together a four-point run and held that five-point advantage the rest of the way.
In the fifth and deciding set, San Diego State scored the first two points of the contest and led the entire way. Ahead 3-2, SDSU scored five consecutive points to open an 8-2 lead on two kills apiece by Darnall and Van Orden plus a Wyoming attack error. The Cowgirls could only close the gap to three points at 12-9 before two kills by Salisbury and a Wyoming service error gave the Aztecs the set and match victory.
San Diego State will now prepare to face league-leading Colorado State, ranked 13th in the nation this week, on Saturday, Oct. 18, at 2:00 p.m. in Peterson Gym.