TUCSON, Ariz. – The San Diego State volleyball team split two matches at the Wildcat Classic on Friday, opening with a 3-0 sweep (25-17, 25-22, 25-17) of Texas Southern in the afternoon before suffering the identical fate against host Arizona (20-25, 22-25, 15-25) in the evening at McKale Center.
Against TSU, the Aztecs (2-9) maintained the upper hand in most statistical categories to help snap a five-match losing streak. SDSU out-hit the Tigers .255 to .049, blasting more kills (42-26) while owning the edge in digs (50-48) and team blocks (6.0 to 2.0).
Senior Victoria O'Sullivan led a balanced Aztec attack with a match-high 12 kills, while freshman Reagan Merk came off the bench to record a season-best seven put-aways of her own. In addition, fellow classmate Kalani Ruri saw her first extended action of the year, finishing with six kills, a .600 efficiency and two block assists, while junior Julia Haynie (4 block assists) and freshman Mikela Labno launched five non-returnables apiece.
The SDSU fortunes were also bolstered by senior Natalie Smith, who tied for match-high honors with 14 digs, while classmate Noa Miller led all players with 21 assists and registered seven digs. Not to be outdone, Heipua Tautua'a contributed to the Aztec defensive efforts with eight scoops of her own, as the Scarlet and Black limited the Tigers to a .000 hitting percentage over the first two sets.
Still, SDSU found itself in a tight battle during the opening frame, as the two sides combined for four ties and two lead changes. Trailing 16-15, the Aztecs seized control with a 9-0 run, benefiting from six Tiger attack errors and a wayward serve during that span, while Labno and Ruri each provided a kill. Moments later, freshman Jordyn Goldsmith floored a shot to provide the clinching point.
Despite committing nine miscues of its own and hitting just .125, San Diego State led for most of the second stanza, save for a 1-1 tie, after maintaining a 13-6 advantage in kills during the set. Merk blasted five of her non-returnables at hit .500 in the frame, while O'Sullivan added three, as the Aztecs build a seemingly comfortable 20-13 advantage. TSU made things interesting down the stretch, capitalizing on three wayward SDSU serves and three late attack errors by the Scarlet and Black, which cut the deficit to 24-22. The Aztecs regrouped with a timeout, however, as Merk's subsequent kill dashed the Tigers' comeback hopes.
Undaunted, SDSU recorded its highest hitting percentage of the match with a .375 clip in the third set, knocking down 17 kills on 40 attempts with just two errors. Individually, O'Sullivan and Ruri collected four put-aways apiece in the frame, while Haynie was solid at the net with three block assists. After TSU tallied the first point, Labno and Haynie launched consecutive kills to spark a 5-0 run, and the Aztecs were never threatened again. SDSU forged a series of 10-point leads, including an insurmountable 23-13 spread after Haynie floored another shot.
Danielle Lilley led the Tigers with seven kills and tied the Aztecs' Smith with 14 digs, while Nia Ford totaled 13 scoops in the loss.
San Diego State was unable to duplicate the same success in the nightcap vs. Arizona, as the Wildcats served up seven aces while recording more kills (41-30) and team blocks (8.0 to 4.0) to help fuel their win.
Once again, O'Sullivan paced the Aztec offense with 10 kills, while Labno racked up six put-aways, followed by Goldsmith's five. In addition, Smith anchored SDSU's back row with a match-high 13 digs, while Ashley Vanderpan (14 assists) handled the bulk of the setting responsibilities, along with Miller (10 assists).
On the flip side, Arizona's Sofia Maldonado Diaz and Merle Weidt tied O'Sullivan for match-high honors with 10 kills apiece, while Jaelyn Hodge added nine put-aways of her own to go with three services aces. Weidt (5 block assists) and Maldonado Diaz (3 assists) also proved to be forces at the net, while setter Emery Herman led all players with 36 assists and came up with six digs.
The teams combined for 14 ties and three lead changes in the first two sets; however, the Aztecs were unable to respond to the Wildcats' timely runs.
With SDSU nursing a 9-8 lead in the opening frame following an O'Sullivan kill, Arizona reeled off seven straight points to take the lead for good. Weidt and Hodge knocked down two kills each during that span, while the Aztecs were plagued by a bad set and attack error. Suddenly trailing 15-9, SDSU cut the margin to two on three occasions, including an 18-16 spread after a kill by Tautua'a. However, the Wildcats kept the visitors at bay with a 7-4 closing run, highlighted by two combined blocks from Weidt and Maldonado Diaz.
The Aztecs were poised to regroup in the second stanza, where they logged their best efficiency of the night with a .345 clip on 13 kills and just two errors in 29 attempts. O'Sullivan blasted five kills in the set, while Labno supplied three. However, the Wildcats finished with 17 put-aways of their own during the frame, including four apiece by Maldonado Diaz, Hodge, Weidt and Puk Stubbe.
Nevertheless, SDSU still found itself clinging to a slim 18-17 lead before the host school vaulted in front for good on consecutive non-returnables by Maldonado Diaz and another by Weidt, which ignited an 8-4 clinching run. The Aztecs tried to stay close down the stretch with two kills by O'Sullivan and another by Merk, but it wasn't enough.
SDSU ran out of steam in the third set, where Arizona out-hit the visitors .320 to minus-.036, limited the Scarlet and Black to eight kills against nine errors in 28 attempts. Still, the Aztecs trailed just 10-9 on a Goldsmith kill before the Wildcats answered with a decisive 9-2 run that essentially put the set and match out of reach. Maldonado Diaz took control during that span with four kills and a pair of aces.
San Diego State will look to rebound in its final match of the tournament on Saturday when it locks horns with UC Riverside, starting at 11 a.m. The Highlanders (4-5) also split two encounters on Friday, falling to Arizona in three sets before posting a 3-1 triumph over Texas Southern.