Oct. 23, 2010
LAS VEGAS - The San Diego State volleyball team put the disappointment of Thursday's loss behind it as it went into Las Vegas and defeated UNLV in three sets (25-23, 25-18, 25-21) Saturday afternoon at Cox Pavilion. With the win, the Aztecs improved to 10-11 overall and evened their Mountain West Conference record at 4-4. The Rebels, meanwhile, fell to 6-15 (2-6 MWC).
Thee players ended the day in double figures in kills for SDSU led by Andrea Hannasch with 14. The sophomore middle blocker, who hit .542 over the three sets, also had seven digs and a pair of blocks. Kyley Sexton and Summer Nash finished with 13 and 12 kills respectively. Sexton hit .417 for the contest and matched her career best with three service aces while Nash compiled a .360 attack percentage.
Elsewhere, Aztec libero Kristi Jackels led all players with 13 digs while Johnna Fouch chipped in with 39 assists, seven digs and a pair of kills.
The first set was a tight affair that saw the score deadlocked at 16-16 before San Diego State scored four straight points on kills by Hannasch, Sexton and Paije Pearson plus a Rebel hitting error. UNLV fought back to within a point at 21-20, but the Aztecs won four of the set's final five points, finishing with a kill by Nash for the win.
In the second set, SDSU led from start to finish as it jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead. UNLV was only able to get back to within two points on one occasion (at 5-3) as the Aztecs controlled the contest and emerged with a seven-point victory. Hannasch and Sexton had five kills apiece in the set as San Diego State hit .419 as a team in the contest.
Set number three saw the teams separated by two points or less until a point by the Rebels made the score 11-10 in favor or the Aztecs. The visitors then put together a four-point run that included a pair of kills by Nash to take a 15-10 lead. SDSU extended its advantage to as many as seven points at 18-11 before UNLV began a comeback that saw it get back to within a point at 24-23. But an attack error provided San Diego State with the set and match point as it wrapped up the victory.
Up next for the Aztecs is a non-conference match against UC Riverside on Tuesday, Oct. 26, at 7:00 p.m. (PT) in Peterson Gym. That contest is the first of a three-match home stand this week that will see Wyoming and Colorado State also visit Peterson Gym on Thursday and Friday.