SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State volleyball team overcame a sluggish start to defeat West Virginia in a five-set thriller (21-25, 16-25, 25-22, 25-16, 15-13) Friday night in its first match of the SDSU/USD Invitational at Aztec Court.
Trailing 2-0 after posting a .117 attack percentage over the first two frames, SDSU quickly turned the tables, hitting at a .352 clip over the final three sets to raise its record to 3-1 on the year and hand the Mountaineers (4-1) their first loss of the season.
SDSU was led by Victoria O'Sullivan, who hit .487 for the match, blasting a career-high 22 kills to go with three block assists. In addition, the Aztecs received double-digit put-aways from Hannah Turnlund (19) and Tamia Reeves (10), while Loren Teter tied for match-high honors with 15 digs. Not to be outdone, setter Camryn Machado logged her fourth consecutive double-double after handing out a personal-best 57 assists to go with 13 digs, while Turnlund doubled up as well with 10 scoops of her own.
Despite a slight disadvantage in kills (65-63), San Diego State limited WVU to a .204 hitting percentage over the last three sets after the visitors opened at a .358 pace.
The Mountaineers seemed poised for the sweep, erasing a 10-7 deficit in set number three with an 11-5 surge that put the visitors in front 18-15. Kristina Jordan keyed the run with four kills, while Briana Lynch added three non-returnables as well during that stretch.
The Aztecs kept within striking distance, but WVU still maintained a slim 22-20 edge following a Kristin Lux kill. Unfazed, the Scarlet and Black flashed its mettle, scoring the last five points to escape with the set and stave off defeat. Lexie Hamrick sparked the decisive surge with a kill and shortly thereafter combined on two blocks with Machado and Turnlund, who also launched consecutive put-aways in that span.
Buoyed by its good fortune, San Diego State rode that momentum into the fourth set, where it posted a .480 hitting percentage on 14 kills and just two errors in 25 attempts. In addition, the Aztecs were beneficiaries of seven Mountaineer attack errors and four wayward serves during the frame.
Still, SDSU found itself on the wrong side of a 4-2 score in the early going before scoring six consecutive points to bolt in front for good. WVU remained within four points on two other occasions, trimming the margin to 17-13 after another Lux kill. However, the Aztecs kept the Mountaineers at bay, closing with an 8-3 run, featuring two put-aways from Reeves and another by O'Sullivan, which set the stage for a dramatic finish.
SDSU raced to a 5-1 lead in the fifth and deciding set, as O'Sullivan blasted two more kills and joined forces with Reeves on a block. However, WVU would not go quietly, thanks to the efforts of Jordan, who totaled five kills during a 12-9 run that narrowed the gap to 14-13. O'Sullivan nearly matched that output with four kills of her own during that stretch, but the Aztecs nearly watched their lead evaporate following a combined block by Lynch and Erin Slinde. Undaunted, SDSU survived the anxious moment courtesy of Turnlund, whose final blast deflected off the Mountaineers' Alexa Hasting, as the Aztec bench erupted in jubilation.
Jordan led all players with 30 kills, hitting .439 on the night with five errors in 57 swings, while Lynch and Lux total 11 put-aways apiece.
The two sides were fairly even on the final stat sheet, posting 10 team blocks apiece, while SDSU owned a slight 50-47 advantage in digs. Hamrick finished with five blocks overall, including two solo stops, while Reeves assisted on five blocks as well.
UP NEXT
San Diego State closes out its co-hosted tournament on Saturday when it faces Arkansas (11 a.m.) and Arizona (7 p.m.) in a day-night doubleheader at Aztec Court.
Volleyball Rallies Past West Virginia in Five Sets
