Aztecs Surge Past Fresno State in Four Sets at MW Tourney

LAS VEGAS – The fifth-seeded San Diego State volleyball team received double-digit kills from three players Wednesday to power past No. 4 seed Fresno State in four sets (25-18, 16-25, 25-18, 25-17) in the first round of the 2024 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Championship at Cox Pavilion.

As a team, the Aztecs (20-9) maintained the upper hand in kills (61-47) and service aces (8-4) to help clinch a spot in the semifinal round where they will face No. 1 seed Colorado State (18-10) on Friday, Nov. 29 at 1 p.m. PT.

In addition, the SDSU posted a greater hitting percentage (.302 to .260) than the Bulldogs (16-13) to reach the 20-victory plateau for the first time since the 2012 squad posted a 23-8 ledger.  After hitting a combined .197 in the first two sets, including a paltry .088 clip in the second stanza, the Aztecs logged a .429 efficiency over the final two frames (34-7-63) to ice the win.

Individually, Taylor Underwood blasted 16 kills to lead the Scarlet and Black, while Jasmine Davis contributed 12 put-ways and a team-best 11 digs to complete her team-leading eight double-double of the year.

Not to be outdone, Shea Rubright hit .714 for the day, launching 10 non-returnables without an error in 14 attempts, while adding a match-high six block assists. Similarly, Kat Cooper made her presence felt with a .700 clip as well, smashing seven kills in 10 error-free swings.

The Aztecs also received 10 digs apiece from Gianna Bender and Keira Herron, while Andrea Campos (23 assists) and Sarena Gonzalez (21 assists) shared the primary setting duties. In addition, Campos tied her season best with three aces, while Gonzalez twirled a pair of her own.

Conversely, SDSU withstood a 22-kill performance from Fresno State’s Addison Haluska (.442), while Ella Rud totaled 15 put-aways, followed by Kasey Purry’s five. Additionally, Haluska and Purry each finished with five block assists, while Brooke Cowie registered a double-double with 36 assists and 11 digs in the loss.

The opening set was closely a contested affair before the Aztecs overcame a slim 14-13 deficit with five straight points to vault in front for good. Rubright sparked the run with consecutive blocks, joining forces with Underwood and Talea Mitchell after Gonzalez floored a dump shot over the net.

Leading 21-17 moments later, SDSU kept the Bulldogs at bay thanks to kills by Davis and Natalie Hughes before Underwood and Cooper’s combined block and a service ace by Gonzalez clinched the set.

The teams slugged it out early in the second stanza, with the Aztecs forging a 9-7 lead after Hughes and Rubright combined on a block. However, Fresno State seized the momentum with an 18-7 blitz to capture the set going away. Haluska knocked down four kills in that span and teamed with Purry and Mya Sellers on a pair of blocks, while Sellers combined with Jenna Legault on another rejection.

The Bulldogs were seemingly in control during the early stages of the third frame, building an 11-6 advantage on the heels of Cowie and Purry’s joint block. Undaunted, SDSU turned the tables with a timely 10-2 surge to take the lead for good. Kills by Cooper, Underwood and Rubright ignited the run, while Mitchell joined forces with the latter on two additional blocks. In addition, the Scarlet and Black benefited from two unforced attack errors, while Campos spun an ace.

Fresno State never drew closer than two points the rest of the way after kills by Hughes, Davis, Cooper and Underwood extinguished any comeback hopes.

With a 2-1 lead on the set scoreboard, the Aztecs saved their best for last, hitting .455 in the fourth and final stanza, blasting 18 kills on 33 attempts with just one error. SDSU displayed tremendous balance in the set, with Rubright and Underwood smashing four kills apiece, while Davis and Cooper terminated three shots each.

The Aztecs never trailed after Rubright powered down a kill and Herron served up an ace, which snapped a 7-7 deadlock. SDSU eventually maintained a series of four-point leads before the Bulldogs narrowed the gap to 16-14 on a Rud put-away.

However, the Scarlet and Black withstood the challenge by closing out the match with a strong 9-3 rush. Davis blasted two kills down the stretch, while Cooper followed with a pair of strikes, including the match winner on a slide shot from the right side, as the Aztec bench erupted in jubilation.

If San Diego State defeats Colorado State on Friday, it would face the winner of the other semifinal match featuring Boise State and San Jose State in the championship final on Saturday, Nov. 30, at 2 p.m. PT. The sixth-seeded Broncos knocked off No. 3 seed Utah State in four sets on Thursday afternoon.

The Aztecs and Rams split their two meetings this season, with each side winning on its home court.