SAN DIEGO – For the second straight match, the San Diego State volleyball team was unable to extend an early lead in sets, as visiting New Mexico rallied for a 3-1 triumph on Saturday in a Mountain West clash on Aztec Court at Peterson Gym.
After capturing the first set by a 25-19 tally, the Aztecs dropped the final three frames, 17-25, 20-25, 9-25, to fall to 7-10 on the season and 2-4 in conference play.
Meanwhile, the Lobos regrouped after hitting just .077 in the opening, posting a .325 efficiency the rest of the way to win their third straight. Additionally, UNM combined for just five attack errors against 32 kills in 83 attempts over the final three sets, raising its record to 12-5 overall and 4-2 in MW action.
Despite maintaining the statistical advantage in kills (51-41) and digs (65-57), SDSU trailed in team blocks (14.0 to 5.0) and committed 19 unforced attack errors compared to just six for the Lobos in the loss.
Individually, Taylor Underwood added to her team-leading totals, blasting a match-high 16 kills and contributing three block assists, while Heipua Tautua'a reached double figures in that category with 10 put-aways of her own.
In addition, Fatimah Hall and Sarena Gonzalez each recorded a double-double while sharing the setting chores. Hall notched her third straight double-double with 23 assists and 10 digs, while Gonzalez accomplished the feat for the first time this year after posting 14 helpers and 13 scoops.
The Aztec cause was also aided by Julia Haynie (3 blocks) and Campbell Hague, who launched six non-returnables apiece, while McKenna Douglas led all players with a season-high 23 digs.
SDSU led for most of the opening set as Underwood and Tautua'a each collected five kills, while Haynie floored a pair of shots and contributed a pair of blocks, including a solo stop.
Haynie's unassisted rejection came on the heels of an Underwood put-away, sparking a timely 6-1 run after the Lobos narrowed the gap to 15-14. Not to be outdone, Tautua'a smashed two put-aways in the span, while the Scarlet and Black benefited from a UNM service error and a wayward attack to build an insurmountable 21-15 lead.
The Aztecs called timeout after a combined block by the Lobos' Elizabeth Woods and Lauryn Payne cut the margin to 23-19, but the Scarlet and Black dashed the visitors' belated comeback hopes with consecutive kills by Underwood and Tautua'a to secure the set.
New Mexico turned the tables in the second stanza, posting its best hitting percentage of the day at .400 after compiling 14 kills on 30 attempts with just two errors.
Save for a 1-1 tie, the Lobos led throughout, racing to an 11-5 lead after a Uxue Guereca kill. SDSU was unable to cut the deficit to less than three points the rest of the way, as a joint block by Guereca and Woods clinched the set.
Underwood totaled four kills in the frame, while Hague added three. However, the Aztecs were victimized by two aces while launching a pair of wayward serves themselves and committing four unforced attack errors.
After five early ties in the third set, SDSU found itself in pursuit mode the rest of the frame. Consecutive kills by Hague and Natalie Hughes trimmed the margin to 16-15, but the host school could not gain the upper hand. The Aztecs were plagued by two attack errors and an errant serve during a 5-1 surge that gave UNM a 21-16 advantage. Woods and Guereca combined for a block during that run, while Athina Dimitriadis also added a kill.
SDSU twice crept within three, including a 22-19 spread following a Reagan Merk put-away. However, Kaitlynn Biassou answered with a kill and the Aztecs shot themselves in the proverbial foot down the stretch with a pair of wayward attacks, which helped allow the visitors to escape.
Trailing 2-1 in sets, SDSU was unable to regroup in the fourth stanza, hitting at a minus-.125 clip on just seven kills against 11 errors in 32 attempts. Conversely, the Lobos posted a .389 efficiency in the set, knocking down eight kills against one error in 18 swings. Additionally, UNM flashed its mettle at the net with seven team blocks to help close out the contest.
Dimitriadis (2 solo) and Woods tied for match-high honors with six blocks apiece on the day, while Payne assisted on five rejections. Offensively, Biassou led the Lobos with 13 kills, while Dimitriadis and Guereca totaled eight put-aways apiece, with the latter supplying 13 digs.
San Diego State hits the road next week for a pair of Mountain West matches at Fresno State (Oct. 12) and Nevada (Oct. 14).
Aztecs Fall to New Mexico in Four Sets
