FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Despite double-digit kill totals from three players, the San Diego State volleyball team dropped a hard-fought 3-1 decision (25-21, 22-25, 17-25, 23-25) to Colorado State on Thursday in a Mountain West match at Moby Arena.
Madison Corf and Mikela Labno led the Aztecs (6-8, 1-2 MW) with 11 put-aways apiece, while Taylor Underwood launched 10 non-returnables of own, but it wasn't enough, as the Rams (7-7, 1-2 MW) countered with the trio of Malaya Jones, Annie Sullivan and Kennedy Stanford, who combined for 41 of the team's 54 kills on the evening.
Jones completed a double-double, leading all players with 16 put-aways to go with 10 kills, while Sullivan (13) and Stanford (12) surpassed the double-digit kill plateau as well. At the net, Karina Leber posted a match-high seven block assists, while Jones helped out on five rejections, followed by Naeemah Weathers' four stops.
In a statistically even affair for the most part, the two sides combined for 30 ties and 19 lead changes, with CSU owning a slight edge in kills (54-53), service aces (5-4) and digs (52-51). However, the Aztecs committed four more attack errors (25-21) and errant serves (9-5), while the Rams maintained the advantage in total blocks (11.0 to 6.0) to pull away for the victory.
Trailing 2-1 in sets, SDSU fought valiantly to extend the match, as the teams witnessed 13 ties and seven lead changes in the fourth stanza. Corf blasted four of her kills in the frame, while Schraeder floored three shots without an error to go with a trio of block assists.
The Aztecs surged ahead 23-22 with three straight points on consecutive Corf kills and a CSU attack error. However, the Rams countered with a 3-0 closing run to abruptly end the match. Stanford knocked down a kill and followed with a service ace, while Sullivan's put-away shortly thereafter provided the clinching point.
Fatimah Hall and Sarena Gonzalez split the setting chores with 22 assists apiece, while McKenna Douglas anchored the SDSU back row with 17 digs.
The Aztecs recorded their best hitting percentage of the night with a .286 efficiency, smashing 14 kills on 35 attempts with four errors. Heipua Tautua'a launched four kills in the frame, while Underwood and Labno racked up three apiece.
Trailing 15-10 following a wayward serve, SDSU quickly righted the ship with seven straight points to vault in front for good. Bailey Darnell keyed the run with two aces, while Labno and Tautua'a each supplied a kill.
CSU trimmed the margin to one on three different occasions; however, the Aztecs never surrendered the lead. Nursing a slim 20-19 advantage, the Scarlet and Black closed with a 5-2 surge, capped by a Corf kill and Underwood's service ace.
However, SDSU was unable to maintain the momentum, hitting a combined .158 over the next two sets, while the Rams posted a .276 clip in that span.
The second stanza featured 10 ties and six lead changes, with CSU vaulting in front for good thanks to a 4-0 spurt that broke a 13-13 deadlock. The host school benefited from a pair of errant attacks and a bad set in that stretch, while Stanford launched a kill.
Moments later, the Rams extended their lead to five points at 22-17 courtesy of a Weathers put-away. SDSU nearly fought itself off the proverbial ropes with a late 5-1 surge to narrow the gap to 23-22. Labno, Schraeder and Tautua'a alternated kills in the run, while CSU committed two attack errors. However, the Aztecs were unable to complete the comeback, as Weathers followed with another non-returnable before joining forces with Jones on a block to secure the set point.
The Scarlet and Black tried to regroup in the third frame, forging an early 5-4 advantage on a Corf solo block. However, the Rams responded with three straight points to take the lead for good, punctuated by a Stanford ace. SDSU trimmed the margin to 10-9 but did not threaten again after Sullivan and Jones each knocked down a kill following an Aztec attack error.
The CSU advantage ultimately swelled to seven at 21-14, as the host school captured the set going away.
San Diego State continues its road swing on Saturday, Sept. 30, when it battles Wyoming at Arena-Auditiorium in Laramie, starting at 7:30 p.m. MT/6:30 p.m. PT. The Aztecs-Cowgirls clash will air live on the Mountain West Network.
Aztecs Fall in Four Sets at Colorado State
