Oct. 6, 2011
FORT WORTH, Texas - San Diego State handed TCU only its second loss of the season and its first in conference play as it defeated the Horned Frogs in five sets (30-28, 24-26, 25-13, 23-25, 15-11) Thursday evening at the University Recreation Center in Fort Worth. It took three Aztecs recording career-high efforts plus a come-from-behind performance in the final set to see off the challenge in a match that was close from beginning to end.
With the win, SDSU improved to 9-5 overall and evened its Mountain West record at 2-2. TCU, which received votes in this week's AVCA national poll, saw its record drop to 16-2 (3-1 MW).
The Aztecs were led by 21 kills from sophomore Raegan Shelton and 20 by junior Andrea Hannasch as both players established new collegiate career bests. Hannasch, who hit .486 over the five sets, also tied her personal high with 11 total blocks while her three aces were her season-best effort.
In addition to that duo, setter Johnna Fouch turned in a career-high 65 assists. That total along with her season-best 18 digs allowed her to notch her sixth double-double of the 2011 campaign.
Senior Kyley Sexton, who is slowly making her way back into the lineup after missing four matches with a sprained ankle, finished with 13 kills, five digs and a pair of blocks with transfer Emily Harris contributing nine kills, five blocks, four digs and a .467 attack percentage.
TCU had four players finish in double figures in kills led by Kristen Hester's 15. Jordan Raines recorded 13 kills on the night with teammates Sloane Sunstrom and Stephanie Holland chipping in with 10 apiece.
The opening set looked to be going TCU's way as it led 20-15 late in the contest, but San Diego State was able to score seven of the ensuing nine points to tie the game at 22-22. Both sides had chances to claim victory, but it wasn't until the set was tied at 28-all that the Aztecs got a kill from Sexton and a TCU attack error to close out the contest.
Set two had the teams tied at 21-21 before the Aztecs forged a two-point lead. Holding a 24-22 advantage, the visitors had a pair of chances to win it, but the Frogs scored four straight points to even the match at one set apiece. The four-point run included a pair of kills and two SDSU attack errors as the Frogs appeared to have the momentum heading into the break.
Appearances proved deceiving, however, as SDSU controlled the third set from start to finish in the only contest of the match that wasn't close. The Aztecs built a 12-4 lead behind four kills by Sexton and several TCU attack errors en route to the 12-point victory.
The match reverted to normal in the fourth set as the teams were never separated by more than two points over the second half of a contest that was eventually tied 23-23. Two kills by Sunstrom provided the winning margin for the Horned Frogs and sent the match to a fifth and deciding set.
The final set did not look promising for San Diego State as it found itself quickly behind 7-4. At that point Hannasch took over as her three kills and a TCU error made it a tie game at 8-8. The Aztecs took their first lead of the set on another Frog error before a service ace by Hannasch made it a two-point SDSU lead at 10-8. It was then Shelton's turn as she provided three kills to help SDSU maintain its advantage. Freshman Chaiymin Steel's kill made it 14-11 before Summer Nash, on her lone attack of the match, got the game winner to give the Aztecs the set and match victory.
San Diego State now moves on to Albuquerque where it will face New Mexico on Sunday, Oct. 9, at noon at the Lobos' Johnson Center. That match will be televised live on CBS Sports.