SAN DIEGO – In a battle featuring numerous twists and turns, the San Diego State volleyball team gave first-place Colorado State all it could handle on Thursday, but it wasn't enough as the Aztecs fell short in a five-set thriller (28-26, 25-22, 22-25, 14-25, 13-15) inside Aztec Court at Peterson Gym.
The Aztecs (6-15, 3-6 MW) dropped a match for the first time this season when leading 2-0 in sets despite finishing with more kills (64-62) and digs (60-55).
However, the Rams (12-6, 8-1 MW) won their fifth straight to maintain their perch atop the Mountain West standings after committing nine fewer attack errors (25-16) and posting more team blocks (10.0 to 7.0). CSU out-hit the Scarlet and Black .309 to .257 for the night and overcame 16 service errors with nine aces to help complete its comeback.
After hitting a combined .368 over the first two sets, the SDSU attack stalled, as the hosts recorded a .167 efficiency the rest of the way, including a .000 pace in the fourth stanza (6-6-28).
Individually, Zoi Faki blasted a career-high 20 kills and hit .400 for the night, committing just four errors in 40 attempts, while Victoria O'Sullivan added 14 put-aways of her own. In addition, the Aztec cause was spurred by Heipua Tautua'a and Jordyn Goldsmith, who launched eight non-returnables apiece, while Julia Haynie (.500) collected six kills and tied for match-high honors with five block assists.
Along the back row, Natalie Smith led the Aztecs with 17 digs, just ahead of Tautua'a (16), while Faki (9) fell one dig short of a double-double.
The teams combined for 10 ties in the decisive fifth set where SDSU twice inched in front by two, including a 12-10 spread following a Haynie kill. However, the Rams responded with a timely 5-1 run to deal the Aztecs the heart-breaking defeat. CSU received kills by Ciera Pritchard, Annie Sullivan and Jacqui Van Liefde, who provided the clincher, while Alexa Roumeliotis sparked the closing run with an ace. The Rams totaled just one attack error in the frame, knocking down 11 kills on 20 swings for a .500 efficiency.
Van Liefde led all players with 21 kills on the night and hit .559 with four miscues on 34 attempts, while Sullivan (13) and Kennedy Stanford (12) surpassed the double-digit plateau in put-aways. In addition, Pritchard (47 assists) and Roumeliotis (20 digs) registered match highs in their respective statistical categories, while Sasha Colombo collected five blocks assists, followed by Sullivan's four.
CSU built a pair of six-point leads in the opening set, including a 16-10 margin following a Colombo kill. However, the Aztecs reeled off six straight points to forge the first of eight ties over the rest of the frame. Faki floored three shots during the run, while Goldsmith notched a kill as well.
Trailing 21-20, the Rams committed a service error, while Faki followed with a kill, and the Scarlet and Black never yielded the upper hand for the rest of the frame. SDSU reached set point on three occasions before consecutive put-aways by Tautua'a and Andrea Walker accounted for the final two points. In all, Faki knocked down seven of the team's 20 kills in the set, while O'Sullivan added four.
Buoyed by its good fortune, SDSU recorded its best efficiency in the second stanza, hitting at a .429 clip with 16 kills on 28 swings against only four errors. Save for a pair of ties and an early 3-2 deficit, the Aztecs kept the Rams at bay for most of the set, building a pair of six-point leads, including a 19-13 spread after a kill by Tautua'a. CSU narrowed the gap to two on four occasions, pulling to within 23-21 after Stanford floored a shot. However, SDSU withstood the challenge, as Faki blasted one of her five kills in the set, while Goldsmith and Haynie combined on a block for the clincher.
The third frame was another see-saw affair that featured eight ties and three lead changes, with Faki supplying five more kills, while Goldsmith contributed four of her own. The Aztecs found themselves clinging a 21-20 lead on a Ram attack error but could not seize control and close out the match. CSU fought itself off the ropes with a 5-1 run, sparked by consecutive Van Liefde kills, while SDSU self-destructed with a service error and a wayward attack, before Stanford launched a non-returnable to keep the visitors alive.
In the fourth set, the Rams limited to the Aztecs to just six kills thanks in part to four team blocks while serving up three aces. Still, the Aztecs trailed just 9-7, as Haynie teamed with Goldsmith and Mikela Labno on a pair of stops at the net. However, CSU ultimately pulled away down the stretch, which set the stage for the thrilling conclusion.
San Diego State will look to rebound on Saturday when it travels to the Front Range of the Rockies to battle Wyoming, starting at 6:30 p.m. MT/5:30 p.m. PT. The Aztecs will return home to host a pair of matches next week, entertaining Utah State on Thursday, Oct. 28, before locking horns with Boise State on Saturday, Oct. 30.