HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The San Diego State volleyball team opened its 2021 fall campaign on a sour note Friday, dropping a pair of 3-0 decisions to Houston Baptist (17-25, 22-25, 16-25) and Sam Houston (18-25, 18-25, 20-25) at the Bearkat Invitational.
The Aztecs were unable to generate any offensive consistency after suffering a combined 45 attack errors to finish the day with a combined .093 hitting percentage on the floor of Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum. Conversely, SDSU's two opponents hit at a collective .302 clip, totaling just nine miscues each.
In the opening match vs. Houston Baptist, the Aztecs were led by Pitt senior transfer Zoi Faki, who knocked down 11 kills in her SDSU debut, while senior Victoria O'Sullivan collected seven put-aways of her own. Natalie Smith, a senior transfer from Michigan, also impressed in her first match for the Scarlet and Black, anchoring the Aztec back row with a match-high 27 digs, while Ashley Vanderpan dished out 19 assists.
As a team, SDSU maintained a slight 52-51 advantage in digs and each side was plagued by nine service errors. However, the Aztecs committed 10 more attack errors (19-9), as the Huskies totaled more kills (42-36) and team blocks (10.0-2.0) to help fuel their victory.
San Diego State was unable to contain the individual exploits of Anna Gadway (13 kills) and Jada Allen (12 kills), who accounted for nearly 60 percent of HBU's kill total. Allen did not commit an attack error on 19 attempts, hitting .632 for the match to go with five block assists, while Gadway and four assists at the net as well. In addition, setter Ellie Wipf notched a double-double with a match-high 36 assists along with 11 digs.
The Aztecs found themselves in pursuit mode for much of the contest, maintaining just one lead on eight serves midway through the second set.
In the opening frame, SDSU trailed just 12-10 following an errant Husky attack and a kill by Faki. However, HBU kept the Scarlet and Black at bay with a timely 11-4 run, benefiting from five Aztec attack errors during that span, three of which resulted from blocks. Trailing 23-14, San Diego State reeled off three straight points on a combined block by Serena Hodson and Kennedy Feuerborn, a kill by Tautua'a and a Vanderpan service ace. However, the Huskies responded with a kill by Alyssa May, who promptly joined forces with Allen on a block to provide the clinching point.
In the second set, the Aztecs posted their best hitting percentage of the match at .324, blasting 15 kills on 34 swings with just four errors. Faki launched five kills during that stretch, while Haynie and O'Sullivan floored three shots apiece. However, SDSU could not build on a 16-13 advantage after a Feuerborn kill, as HBU's Ebonie Ballesteros followed with a non-returnable of her own to spark another opportune 9-2 run that put the Huskies in front for good at 22-18. Two late kills by Faki and another by Haynie helped trim the margin to 23-22, but the Aztecs lost momentum on a wayward serve, while May quickly ended the frame with an ace allowing HBU to escape.
Stung, San Diego State could not gain the upper hand in the third set, as the Huskies gave themselves some separation with a 12-6 spurt after the Aztecs trailed just 9-8 following a Tautua'a kill. Gadway racked up five kills for HBU in the frame, while Ballesteros and May notched three apiece to help secure the sweep.
In the second match of the day vs. Sam Houston, SDSU was plagued by 26 attack errors, hitting just .029 overall. On the flip side, the Bearkats posted a .299 clip, maintaining a sizeable advantage in kills (38-29) and total blocks (15.0-3.0) while owning a slight edge in digs (41-39).
Individually, the Aztecs were paced by O'Sullivan and Tautua'a, who blasted eight kills each, while Faki and freshman Jordyn Goldsmith finished with five put-aways apiece. Vanderpan (15 assists) and Feuerborn (11 assists) split the setting duties as usual, while Smith scooped up a team-high 11 digs. The SDSU cause was also advanced by freshmen Sara Mukaj (4 aces) and Reagan Merk (2 aces).
The teams battled through three ties and three lead changes early in the first set until the Bearkats vaulted in front for good with five straight points to erase a 6-4 deficit. McKenzie Morvant and Breanne Chausse each sparked the run with a kill sandwiched around a Hannah Baker service ace. SHSU eventually increased its advantage to 17-12 following a Catherine Krieger kill before the Aztecs mounted a comeback. SDSU benefited from two Bearkat service errors, while O'Sullivan launched a pair of kills to help trim the margin to 20-18. However, SDSU could draw no closer, as Chausse served up an ace and followed with a kill to provide the final two points.
SHSU led throughout the second stanza, save for a 1-1 tie, as the Aztecs mustered just seven kills while committing 10 errors. Still, SDSU nearly overcame a trio of six-point deficits, including a 17-11 spread following a De'Janae Gilmore kill. Merk served up two aces while Vanderpan added another to key a 7-2 surge that brought the Scarlet and Black to within striking distance at 19-18. However, the Bearkats tallied the final six points to extinguish the threat. Morvant came up huge down the stretch with three blocks, combining with Chausse on a pair to bookend the run while adding a solo stop in the interim to give the hosts a decisive advantage.
The third set was the most competitive of the match, as the two sides combined for nine ties and six lead changes. Tautua'a sparked the Aztecs' fortunes in the frame with five kills against one error for a .500 hitting percentage, while O'Sullivan and Goldsmith blasted three put-aways each. However, SDSU was undone by another late run, as Sam Houston fashioned an 8-2 blitz to close out the match. The Bearkats capitalized on a errant serve and a wayward attack, while Ashley Lewis, Morgan Janda and Krieger each supplied kills to end a frustrating day for the Scarlet and Black.
San Diego State will look to avenge its defeat on Saturday when it battles Sam Houston once again to close out its appearance at the Bearkat Invitational. First serve is set for 11 a.m. CT/9 a.m. PT. Links to live stats and streaming video are available on GoAztecs.com.