Aztecs Stumble in Four Sets at Long Beach State

LONG BEACH, Calif. – The San Diego State volleyball team saw its three-match winning streak snapped in a four-set loss to Long Beach State (25-19, 23-25, 11-25, 21-25) on Saturday in the finale of the Beach’s home tournament at Walter Pyramid.

After blasting 15 kills to capture the opening set, the Aztecs combined for 30 additional put-aways over the final three frames, hitting just .040 in that span to slip to 4-4 on the season.

Despite trailing in kills (45-41), LBSU maintained the edge in team blocks (14.0 to 5.0) and service aces (8-4) while outhitting the Scarlet and Black for the match (.165 to .103) to even its record at 4-4 overall.

Individually, SDSU was led by Campbell Hague and Ella Schabort, who finished with 12 kills apiece, while Mila Gehlen launched seven non-returnables of her own, followed by Madison Corf’s six put-aways.

Gehlen and Hague each tallied three block assists as well, while Zara Stewart anchored the Aztec back row with a match-high 14 digs and tied Corf with a pair of service aces.

In addition, Kendall Mairs (22 assists, 6 digs) and Bella Jones (14 assists, 5 digs) split the setting duties for the Scarlet and Black.

SDSU found itself trailing 16-13 midway through the opening set before crafting a 9-1 run to seize the upper hand. Schabort smashed three kills in that span, while Stewart served up both her aces, putting the visitors in the proverbial driver’s seat.

The Beach never drew closer than three points the rest of the way, as Gehlen and Hague combined on a block, while an attack error on the ensuing serve clinched the set for the Aztecs.

Seven players notched at least one kill in the frame for SDSU, including six by Schabort, who did not commit an error on 12 swings for a .500 efficiency, while Gehlen put away four shots of her own without a miscue (.444).

The teams combined for eight ties in a fiercely contested second set, including a 21-21 deadlock following a kill by the Beach’s Sidney Hamaker.

Moments later, Hamaker teamed up with Rhiann Sheffie on a block, while Logan King quickly followed with a solo rejection to put the hosts in front for good at 23-21.

The Aztecs twice trimmed the margin to one, including a 24-23 spread after a Corf kill, but could not extend the frame. King launched a kill on the ensuing serve to tie the contest at one set apiece.

Hague collected seven of SDSU’s 14 kills in the set, posting a .779 hitting percentage after completing nine swings without an error, while Corf knocked down four shots in that span.

The Aztecs stumbled out of the gates in the third stanza, as the Beach tallied the first six points and were never threatened. SDSU narrowed the gap to 9-5 on a kill by Amber Keen, but LBSU methodically pulled away, employing a 16-6 closing run to secure the set. The Scarlet and Black mustered just six kills in the frame, committing 12 attack errors in 31 attempts, while Sheffie and Elise Agi each totaled three block assists for the hosts.

The fourth set witnessed four early ties, including a 7-7 deadlock following a Hague kill, but the Beach vaulted in front for good on a joint block by Madi Maxwell and Nieko Thomas, while the Aztecs followed with a mishandled set.

After a Hague kill tightened the score at 9-8, LBSU utilized a 14-6 surge to put itself in the proverbial driver’s seat at 23-14. Hamaker served up three aces to spark the run, while Agi added another before Thomas knocked down a kill to give the hosts a seemingly comfortable nine-point cushion.

SDSU would not go quietly, however, scoring six straight points to cut the deficit to 23-20. The Aztecs benefited from five straight Beach attack errors, while Schabort launched a kill to pull the visitors to within three.

Following an exchange of points on an errant SDSU serve and a wayward Long Beach attack, Maxwell vanquished any hopes of an Aztec comeback with a kill along the sidelines to abruptly end the match.

King led the Beach with 11 kills, while Thomas tallied a match-high eight blocks, including a pair of solo efforts. In addition, LBSU received a double-double from Maxwell, who finished with 32 assists and 10 digs in the victory.

San Diego State will hold its first three home matches of the 2025 campaign next week when it plays host to UC San Diego, San Diego and Yale on successive days, Sept. 18-20, inside Aztec Court at Peterson Gym. Season and single-match tickets are available to purchase on GoAztecs.com.