Nov. 13, 2009
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - San Diego State overcame a slow start as it dropped the opening set before rebounding to defeat Air Force 19-25, 25-11, 25-18, 25-22 in Colorado Springs Friday evening. The victory allowed the Aztecs to even improve their 2009 season record to 12-13 and move to 6-8 in the Mountain West Conference.
SDSU sophomore Kyley Sexton led all players with 18 kills as she hit .457 for the match and also added five blocks. She accounted for 20.5 points in the contest, a figure that represented a new career high for the outside hitter from Salem, Ore.
Aztec freshman Andrea Hannasch and sophomore Paije Pearson set personal bests of their own with 11 and seven blocks respectively as the tam tied its season best with 16 total blocks. Hannasch hit .312 over the four sets and also had four digs while Pearson added a career-best three service aces.
Setter Lauren Van Orden tallied 45 assists and also had 11 digs as she recorded her fifth double-double of the season and 15th of her two-year career. True freshman defensive specialist Stacey Hallam saw her most extensive action of the season, appearing in all four sets and recording a personal best seven digs,
Air Force (8-19; 0-14 MWC) began the match by taking the initiative in the opening set as it took the lead at 6-5 and fought off every attempted Aztec comeback effort to take a six-point win. Sexton had seven kills in the contest, but it wasn't enough as the Falcons took the opening set for the first time in league play in 2009.
The loss seemed to awaken the Aztecs who came out and dominated the second set with a 14-point win. Although SDSU had only seven total kills in the contest, the Aztecs were aided by 14 Air Force hitting errors as they ran out to a 16-4 advantage and never looked back.
After the break, both teams came out ready to play and the third set was a close one with the score eventually being tied at 14-14. At that point San Diego State got a pair of kills from Pearson and would not be caught the rest of the way. The Falcons closed to within a point at 16-15, but the visitors then scored five straight points to take control of the set and go on to the seven-point victory.
The fourth set saw the Falcons take a 15-12 lead only to have SDSU fight back to knot the game at 16-all. After the teams traded points, the Aztecs took the lead for good on kills by Hannah Evans and Lauren Salisbury. The Falcons would get back to within a point at 23-22, but a service error and another kill by Evans gave SDSU the set and match.
San Diego State now returns home for three consecutive matches beginning with a non-league contest against Cal State Bakersfield on Sunday, Nov. 15, at 2:00 p.m. (PT) in Peterson Gym.