Oct. 13, 2016
LARAMIE, Wyo. - Facing a two-set deficit, San Diego State mounted a hard-fought comeback only to fall two points shy at the end as it dropped a five-set decision to conference foe Wyoming in Laramie Thursday evening.
With the loss, the Aztecs see their record fall to 12-8 overall and 4-2 in Mountain West play as they drop into a tie for fifth place in the conference standings.
Deja Harris paced the Aztec attack a she finished with 18 kills, one shy of her SDSU career high. She hit .448 over the five sets and also recorded five blocks.
Three others finished in double figures in kills for San Diego State including Alexis Cage and Alexandra Psoma with 16 apiece and freshman Ashlynn Dunbar with 10.
The 16 kills by Cage represented a career best for the senior who completed a double-double with 12 digs while also adding a service ace and a block to her final stat line.
Psoma and Dunbar also chipped in with three blocks apiece.
Wyoming (12-7, 5-1 MW) controlled the action in the first two sets, taking the quick lead in each contest and holding the advantage all the way through each game. The first set was the closer of the two as SDSU trailed by only three late on at 20-17, but was unable to make up any more ground.
The second set saw the Cowgirls extend their initial 4-0 lead to as many as nine points at 23-14 before closing out the contest with a six-point victory.
After the break, the teams played even over the early portion of the third set with the score tied at 7-7. SDSU then won six of the next seven points to go up 13-8. Although the Aztecs appeared to be in control Wyoming fought back and eventually tied the set at 20-20. The teams traded points until the Cowgirls took a 24-23 lead and were looking at match point. But back-to-back kills by Harris plus a UW attack error allowed the Aztecs to claim the 26-24 win.
In the fourth set, San Diego state took a 6-1 lead and held the advantage until Wyoming tied the contest at 16-all. The teams then traded four points before the Cowgirls took a 24-22 lead with two more chances at match point. SDSU, however, scored three straight to go up 25-24, but was unable to close out the set. Both teams had one more chance to end it, but were unsuccessful until, at 27-27, a service ace by Cage and a Wyoming attack error allowed the Aztecs to take the set and even the match at two apiece.
In the fifth and deciding set, the Cowgirls got out to the gate quickly, scoring the first five points and moving out to a 7-2 lead. SDSU was able to crawl back to within a pint at 8-7, but Wyoming regained control and opened up a 13-9 advantage that quickly became 14-11. A kill by Harris and a Cowgirl hitting error kept the Aztecs in the contest, but at 14-13 the home side got the kill it was seeking to win the set, 15-13, and capture the match victory.
San Diego State will now move on to Fort Collins, Colo., where it will face league-leading Colorado State on Saturday, Oct. 15, at 1:00 p.m. (MT) in Moby Arena.