SAN DIEGO – Despite a first set that featured a .351 hitting percentage, the San Diego State volleyball team opened the SDSU/USD Challenge with a four-set (25-23, 13-25, 20-25, 17-25) setback against Oregon State on Friday night. The Aztecs fall to 1-9 on the season, while the Beavers improve to 8-2.
San Diego State's offense came out firing on all cylinders in the first set, with Hannah Turnlund (five kills on seven attempts), Ashlynn Dunbar (four kills on five attempts), Emily Burns (three kills on five attempts) and Deja Harris (three kills on nine attempts) all paving the way in the first-set win. After Oregon State opened with a 4-0 lead and continued to grow that lead, owning a 14-8 lead later in the set, SDSU erupted for a 16-8 run to tie the set at 22-22 after Delaney Taylor's first kill of the night. After Dunbar provided SDSU with a 23-22 lead – it's first of the set – Turnlund converted on a pivotal swing to make it 24-23, just before SDSU captured the set after an Oregon State attack error.
SDSU struggled with carrying their offensive momentum into the second set, however, posting just seven kills in the game. SDSU owned an early 3-2 lead in the second after a kill by Burns, but the Beavers rallied for a 10-3 run to take a 12-6 lead and ultimately go on to win the set, 25-13.
Again, the Aztecs owned an early lead in the third set, with a pair of early-set kills by Dunbar paving the way to a 4-1 lead. The lead quickly was erased, as Oregon State logged each of the set's next four points to take a 5-4 lead. The Aztecs and Beavers battled closely, however after Oregon State's Maddy Gravley logged a kill that broke a 16-16 tie, OSU never relinquished its lead and went on to win the set, 25-20, despite Dunbar's best efforts with six kills in the third set.
After a kill by Harris brought SDSU's lead to 6-2 in the fourth set and forced a Beaver timeout, Oregon State adjusted to go on a 4-0 run and tie the game at 6-6. After OSU's Amy Underdown's 17th kill of the night gave the Beavers a 9-8 lead, OSU never looked back and went on to win the set, 25-17. The Aztec defense limited OSU to just a .095 attack percentage for the set, but SDSU was hindered by a run of four consecutive attacking/setting errors that gave the Beavers a convincing 20-13 lead late in the set.
Three Aztecs finished with double-digit kill totals, including Harris (11 kills), Turnlund (10 kills) and Dunbar (10 kills). Taylor and Camryn Machado each posted 19 assists, while Lauren Lee led the defensive effort with 14 digs.
NOTES
- The Aztecs fall to 26-14 in their last 40 matches at Peterson Gym.
UP NEXT
SDSU's Saturday features a pair of matches, beginning with an early-morning affair against UTEP at 9:00 a.m. The Aztecs close the SDSU/USD Challenge with Louisiana at 3:00 p.m. tomorrow.
VB Falls Against Oregon State Despite Strong Start
