Aztecs Outlast EWU in Five-Set Thriller

SPOKANE, Wash. – The San Diego State volleyball team wrapped up its non-conference slate Saturday with another gritty five-set victory, dispatching Eastern Washington (23-25, 25-19, 25-20, 21-25, 15-12) in its final encounter of the Gonzaga Invitational at Charlotte Y. Martin Centre.

With the win, the Aztecs equal their best 10-match start since 2007, raising their record to 8-2 overall, while the Eagles slip to 3-6 on the year, pending the outcome of their clash with Gonzaga on Saturday night. The Scarlet and Black also improves to 3-1 this season in five-set matches after recording an 0-3 ledger in that category during the 2023 campaign.

SDSU received a wealth of different contributions on Saturday, with four players surpassing the double-digit kill plateau, including Taylor Underwood and Jasmine Davis, who finished with 18 put-aways apiece to tie for match-high honors.

In addition, the Aztecs received career-high kills from Kat Cooper (12) and Natalie Hughes (11), the latter of whom finished with a collegiate-best four block assists.

Not to be outdone, Sarena Gonzalez celebrated her fourth career double-double and first of the year after compiling career-high 60 assists and 14 digs. With her performance, the SDSU junior logged the team’s highest assist total since Oct. 19, 2017, when Gabi Peoples dished out 62 helpers in a home triumph over Boise State.

The Aztec cause was also buoyed by Gianna Bender, who collected a match-high 17 digs, while Shea Rubright (6 kills) tied Hughes and Cooper for team-high honors with four blocks, featuring a solo stop.

Additionally, Rubright and Underwood served up three aces each, as the teams combined for 21 in the category, including 10 for SDSU.

Despite trailing in team blocks (12.0 to 8.0), the Aztecs maintain a 68-58 advantage in kills and a 64-59 edge in digs to help fuel their win.

Nevertheless, the Scarlet and Black found itself in a heated battle for much of the contest, with the two sides combining for 15 ties and four lead changes in the first set alone. SDSU posted its greatest hitting percentage of the match with a .389 pace in that span, blasting 18 kills against four errors on 36 attempts.

Hughes shouldered much of the offensive burden in the set, smashing seven kills without an error in eight swings for a .875 efficiency, while Underwood floored four shots of her own.

The Aztecs were unable to regain the upper hand after EWU tallied three straight points to vault in front 19-17 following a kill and solo block by Alyssa Radke sandwiched around a Kalista Lukovich put-away. SDSU forged four late ties, including a 23-23 deadlock on a kill by Hughes. However, Bri Gunderson and Sadie Bacon quickly joined forces on a block, while the Aztecs committed an attack error on the ensuing serve, allowing the Eagles to escape.

Davis took center stage with five kills for the Scarlet and Black in the second stanza, while Underwood (.429) continued her hot hitting with four additional put-aways. In addition, the defense limited EWU to a .103 hitting percentage in the set (11-7-39).

Trailing 6-5, SDSU crafted a decisive 14-5 blitz to build an eight-point advantage it would not relinquish. The Aztecs featured a balanced offense during the run, as Davis, Cooper and Underwood launched two kills apiece, with the latter supplying a service ace.

The Eagles threw in one last scare, trimming the deficit to three at 22-19 following a kill by Gunderson, who combined with Quincy Moran on a block just moments earlier. However, SDSU kept their adversaries at bay after Cooper and Underwood each powered down a kill sandwiched around an EWU attack error.

The Aztecs exhibited a crisp hitting display in the third frame, posting a .364 efficiency with 16 against four miscues on 33 swings. The Underwood (6) and Davis (5) show continued to draw rave reviews with a combined 11 kills for the SDSU teammates, both of whom served up an ace in the set.

The Aztecs led by as many as nine points, as Underwood’s put-away gave the Scarlet and Black a seemingly comfortable 16-7 cushion. The Eagles would not go quietly, whittling the margin to two points on three occasions, including a 22-20 spread following an errant SDSU attack.

However, the Aztecs derailed EWU’s momentum with consecutive kills by Davis and Underwood, while an Eagle attack error on the final serve provided the clinching point for SDSU.

The Aztecs’ hopes of closing out the match in the fourth set proved difficult, as the Scarlet and Black suffered its lowest efficiency of the match with a .167 pace after committing seven errors against 12 kills in 30 attempts. Davis led the way with five non-returnables, while Rubright contributed three blocks, including a solo rejection, but it wasn’t enough.

Still, SDSU found itself nursing a slim 18-17 advantage following a combined block by Rubright and Hughes. However, the Eagles’ front line responded with three blocks down the stretch to spark an 8-3 closing run. Gunderson joined forces with Lukovich on two of those rejections and teamed with Bacon on another. In addition, Lukovich and Gunderson each provided a kill, while Kate Hatch served up an ace to help extend the match.

The stage was soon set for another dramatic finish in the fifth set that saw the two sides deadlocked at 5-5 following an Aztec attack error. However, SDSU took the lead for good with three straight points, featuring a Cooper kill, a Bender ace and a wayward attack by EWU.

Shortly thereafter, the Aztecs increased their advantage to 14-9 thanks to a joint block by Cooper and Hughes. Three straight Eagle points tightened the score to 14-12, as Lukovich knocked down a kill and Gunderson followed with a put-away of her own as well as a combined rejection with Bacon.

But the Scarlet and Black persevered as Talea Mitchell came off the bench to provide the match-winning kill, as the SDSU faithful offered a collective sigh of relief.

Despite hitting just .160 in the set (7-3-25), the Aztecs served up two aces and benefited from six attack errors to help secure their eighth win of the year.

Lukovich and Radke (.407) led EWU with 15 kills apiece, while Gunderson racked up 12 put-aways and nine total blocks, including a solo stuff. Additionally, the setting duo of Hatch (18 assists, 12 digs) and Jannie Blake (24 assists, 10 digs) each completed a double-double in the loss.

San Diego State opens Mountain West play on the road next week when it travels to the Front Range of the Rockies to face the Air Force Falcons on Thursday, Sept. 26 (6 p.m. MT/5 p.m. PT) before heading to New Mexico for a date with the Lobos on Saturday, Sept. 28 (1 p.m. MT/noon PT).