Aztecs Complete Season Sweep of Wyoming With Another 3-0 Triumph

LARAMIE, Wyo. – The San Diego State volleyball team completed its second straight sweep of Wyoming with a three-set blanking (25-20, 25-17, 25-21) Thursday in a Mountain West match at UniWyo Sports Complex.

With the victory, the Aztecs (15-6, 7-4 MW) captured the season series from the Cowgirls (12-8, 5-6 MW) for the first time since 2012 after posting a 3-0 whitewash in San Diego on Oct. 17.

In addition, SDSU won in Laramie for the third consecutive year, its longest streak there since winning four in a row between 1990 and 1993. The Aztecs’ 15-6 record also marks the program’s best start since the 1995 squad fashioned a 19-2 ledger through the first 21 matches of that season.

On Thursday, Shea Rubright led the Scarlet and Black with 10 kills, hitting .533 for the match after committing just two errors in 15 swings. The SDSU graduate transfer also contributed three block assists and one ace.

Taylor Underwood and Talea Mitchell also got into the act for the Aztecs with seven kills apiece, while Sarena Gonzalez (19 assists, 8 digs) and Andrea Campos (10 assists, 5 digs) shared the setting chores.

The SDSU defense also took center stage, limiting Wyoming to its lowest hitting percentage of the year with a .079 clip (35-26-114), while the Aztecs maintained the decisive edge in team blocks (10.0 to 3.0) to help key their victory.

Individually, Gianna Bender (14) and Keira Herron (10) recorded double-digit digs, while Kat Cooper flashed her prowess at the net with a match-high four block assists. Elsewhere, Mitchell, Natalie Hughes and Jasmine Davis each contributed a trio of blocks, with the latter supplying a solo rejection as well.

Conversely, the Aztecs hit .263 for the night, holding a slight edge in kills (37-35) while benefitting from nine Cowgirl service errors.

SDSU spread the wealth in the opening set where Rubright knocked down four kills, while Mitchell, Underwood and Amber Keen contributed two put-aways each. Additionally, the Aztecs held Wyoming to its lowest efficiency of the match with a paltry .051 hitting percentage, as the host school totaled just nine kills against seven errors in 39 attempts during that span.

Nursing a slim 5-4 advantage, SDSU gave itself some additional breathing room after consecutive Rubright kills and a Herron service ace, while Davis soon launched a non-returnable of her own and combined with Keen on a block to extend the visitors’ lead to 11-5.

The Cowgirls twice whittled the deficit to three, including a 21-18 spread courtesy of an Emma Winter kill. However, the Aztecs received put-aways by Keen, Rubright and Mitchell down the stretch to keep the hosts at bay.

After three early ties in the second stanza, including a 9-9 deadlock, SDSU employed a timely 10-3 blitz to seize control. Mitchell sparked the run with a trio of kills, while Rubright and Underwood each floored a shot sandwiched around their joint block.

Moments later, Davis added consecutive kills after Cooper and Hughes teamed up for a rejection at the net, giving the Scarlet and Black an insurmountable 24-15 lead.

Once again, the Aztecs displayed their incredible balance, as Mitchell and Rubright knocked down a trio of kills in the frame, while Underwood, Davis and Cooper provided two each. In all, SDSU logged its highest hitting percentage of the night with a .370 pace, knocking down 13 kills in 27 attempts with just three errors.

Looking to complete the sweep, the opportunistic Aztecs crafted another decisive run in the third set with an 12-5 surge, which snapped a 9-9 tie and catapulted the visitors in front for good.

The SDSU block party was in full gear, as Mitchell and Rubright joined forces on a stop, while Cooper and Underwood teamed up on another. In addition, Rubright blasted a kill and served up an ace, while Aztecs benefitted from three unforced attack errors and a wayward serve.

Trailing 20-14, the Cowgirls twice cut the margin to three, including a 24-21 spread, before Rubright dashed any comeback hopes with a quick hit in the middle.

Wyoming was led by Sarah Holcomb’s nine kills, while reigning MW Offensive Player of the Week Paige Lauterwasser had eight put-aways and hit just .100 on the night (8-5-30). In addition, Sierra Grizzle tied Bender for match-high honors with 14 digs in the loss.

San Diego State wraps up its road trip on Saturday, Nov. 2, when it pays a visit to first-place Colorado State at Moby Arena in Fort Collins, Colorado. First serve is set for 1 p.m. MT/noon PT.  The Rams (13-8, 9-2 MW) swept UNLV at home on Thursday.