Nov. 19, 2014
BOISE, Idaho - San Diego State had a short two-match win streak snapped Thursday night as it dropped a four-set decision at Boise State by scores of 25-27, 25-21, 22-25, 22-25. With the loss SDSU's record fell to 13-14 overall and 8-8 in the Mountain West. The Broncos, meanwhile, won for the fifth straight time and improved to 17-11 (10-6 MW).
Redshirt freshman outside hitter Alexis Cage led the Aztecs with 15 kills and was the lone SDSU player to reach double figures in that category. She also accounted for four blocks (two solo) and a dig over the four sets.
Chaiymin Steel tallied eight kills also registered team highs of five blocks and 14 digs. Setter Courtney Eckenrode finished with 42 assists and just missed her eighth double-double of the season as she ended the evening with nine digs.
Freshman libero Devyn Pritchard recorded four digs and tied her career highs with three assists and three service aces.
For Boise State, freshman Sierra Nobley led the way with 17 kills while teammates Alyssa Gammel and Kaitlyn Oliver recorded a dozen apiece. The teams were fairly even statistically with the home side holding a slight edge in every category expect blocking. The Broncos ended the evening with a .223 hitting percentage while the Aztecs compiled a .197 mark.
In the opening set the teams stayed within two points of each other until San Diego State opened up a three-point advantage at 17-14. Boise State came back to knot the score at 21-21 and the teams traded several points before the Aztecs took a 24-23 lead with a set point opportunity. But an SDSU hitting error tied the contest at 24-all and after each team scored once the Broncos captured the set on back-to-back kills by Gammel and Nobley.
The second set saw San Diego State trail over the first half of the contest before the score eventually settled in at 14-14. From there SDSU scored four straight points to take control of the set and it went on to the four-point victory. Cage had four kills and two blocks to lead the Aztec attack.
After the break, SDSU got off to a quick start in the third set as it ran out to a 7-1 lead. But Boise State fought its way back into the game, eventually tying the score at 15-15. The sides were within a point of each other until the Broncos grabbed a two-point advantage at 20-18, a lead they held the rest of the way. The Aztecs got back to within a point at 23-22, but BSU closed out the set on a kill by Gammel and an Aztec setting error.
Midway through the fourth set Boise State put together a run of five straight points to take a 17-11 lead. SDSU closed to within two points at 22-20, but the Broncos were able to hold them off and finish out the set and match victory.
Up next for San Diego State is the team's final home match of the 2014 season that comes up on Saturday, Nov. 22, when the Aztecs host Utah State on Aztec Court in Peterson gym at 6:00 p.m. (PT). The contest will be part of Senior Night as SDSU honors its lone fourth-year player, Chaiymin Steel, in a ceremony prior to the contest.