Oct. 17, 2015
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - In a match in which every set was decided by two points, San Diego State saw its comeback attempt from a 2-1 deficit come up just short as it fell to Boise State Saturday afternoon on Aztec Court. The Broncos prevailed in the five-set thriller by set scores of 26-24, 23-25, 25-23, 24-26, 17-15.
Danielle Bolden led SDSU with a career-high 19 kills and added a season-high 11 digs along with four service aces and a pair of blocks. The double-double was the first of her Aztec career.
Three other SDSU players ended the day in double figures in kills, a group that included Alexandra Psoma (13), Kaja Sandberg (12) and Baylee Little (10). Sandberg's kill total along with her seven blocks both represented season highs for the senior middle blocker.
Setter Lauren Utchen and Hailey Jones finished with 27 assists apiece. Utchen added 11 digs to complete her third double-double in SDSU's past four matches. Libero Devyn Pritchard led all players with 21 digs over the five sets.
The opening set was close early before Boise State opened up a five-point lead at 18-13. San Diego State, however, slowly fought its way back into the contest, eventually tying it up at 24-24. But from there an Aztec attack error and a Bronco kill provided the visitors with the two points they needed to capture the set victory. Bolden led all player with seven kills while Sandberg contributed four blocks.
Set number two saw eight lead changes and four tied scores before the contest settled in at 15-15. From there SDSU took the lead with back-to-back points, but Boise State came back to knot the score at 23-23 after trailing 23-20. The Aztecs then got a kill from Psoma and a Bronco attack error to capture the set and even the match at 1-1. Psoma led San Diego State with four kills in the set.
Boise State held the lead for most of the third set and found itself with four match-point opportunities when it moved out to a 24-20 lead. Kills by Psoma and Sandberg plus a Bronco attack error got the Aztecs to within one at 24-23, but an SDSU service error gave the visitors the set point. Psoma and Bolden led SDSU with three kills apiece.
In the fourth set the teams were never separated by more than three point, but that margin occurred only twice as the teams went back and forth. SDSU came back from a 23-21 deficit to tie the set, and after the teams traded points the Aztecs got a kill by Little and a Bronco attack error to claim the set and tie the match at two apiece
The fifth and deciding set started well for the Aztecs as they forged an 8-6 lead midway through the contest. But Boise State then went on a five-point run to go up 11-8 before SDSU fought back and tied the game at 13-all. The Broncos had a match point chance at 14-13, but a service error sent the set back into a tie. The Aztecs then got a kill from Deja Harris and had an opportunity to win it, but a hitting error re-tied the contest at 15-15. A bad Aztec set put the visitors in front again by a point at 16-15 and they clinched the set and match with a kill by Katelyn Kinghorn
SDSU will remain in San Diego for three matches next week beginning with a short drive across town to take on the University of San Diego on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 6:00 p.m. at the Jenny Craig Pavilion. The Aztecs will then have home matches on Thursday (Oct. 22) and Saturday (Oct. 24) against Air Force and New Mexico respectively.