Nov. 27, 2013
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - After dropping the first two sets, San Diego State stormed back to win the next three as it upset previously undefeated and ninth-ranked Colorado State, 3-2 (15-25, 18-25, 25-21, 27-25, 15-13) Wednesday night at Moby Arena in Fort Collins. The win was the third straight for the Aztecs, who improved to 16-13 overall and 11-8 in the Mountain West.
The loss ended the Rams run of 27 consecutive victories this season as San Diego State dealt CSU its first loss of the year. Coming into the contest, Colorado State was one of only two undefeated teams in NCAA Division I (Missouri being the other).
A quartet of Aztecs finished the evening in double figures in kills led by seniors Summer Nash and Raegan Shelton who registered 16 and 15 respectively. Nash also had a block, a dig and service aces while Shelton contributed six digs and a pair of blocks.
Junior outside hitter Chaiymin Steel had a team-high five blocks to go along with 10 kills with freshman Bayle Little matched Steel's kill total and added three blocks, five digs and an assist.
Setter Johnna Fouch ended the match with 52 saves, her third highest total of the year, plus three kills, five digs, a block and service ace. Libero Christie Ring had 17 digs and an ace while defensive specialist Kyla Oropeza recorded two aces and six digs.
For the Rams, Marlee Reynolds led all players with 17 kills while teammates Michelle Lawrence and Kelsey Snider had 14 and 12 apiece.
Colorado State came out and dominated the opening two sets, taking the early lead and going on to a 10-point win in the opening set and winning the second by seven. The Rams took the lead at 4-3 in the first contest and did not allow the Aztecs to tie or take a lead over the remainder of the first two games.
The third set looked to be heading along the same path as the Rams took an early 10-5 lead and opened it to as many as seven points at 15-8. Trailing 18-13, however, SDSU began a comeback that saw it win seven of the ensuing nine points to tie the contest at 20-20. That run included three kills by Nash and continued as the Aztecs rallied for the next three points to go up23-20. After the teams traded points, a kill by Shelton secured the win for the visitors.
The fourth set was a tightly-contested affair that saw six lead changes and the score tied on 14 occasions. SDSU had a set point with a 24-23 lead, but a kill by CSU's Snider knotted it up at 24-all. The sides exchanged points with each committing an attack error to make it 25-25 before a Ram hitting miscue and a kill by Shelton gave the Aztec the set win and tied the match at 2-2.
In the fifth and deciding set, San Diego State jumped out to a 5-1 lead only to see CSU recover to tie it at 6-6. After the score went to 8-8, neither team was able to take more than a one-point lead until the Aztecs got kills from Shelton and Emily Harris to take a 14-12 lead and have a pair of match point opportunities. A kill by Lawrence brought the Rams to within a point, but again it was Shelton for SDSU with what proved to be the set- and match-winning kills to complete the victory for the Aztecs.
San Diego State now moves on the Laramie, Wyo., where it will conclude its 2013 season with a match against Mountain West foe Wyoming on Friday, Nov. 29, at 7:00 p.m. (MT).