Aztecs Stumble in Three Sets to Yale in Non-Conference Finale

SAN DIEGO – After dropping a hotly contested opening frame, the San Diego State volleyball team was unable to regroup, falling to Yale in straight sets (24-26, 14-25, 21-25) in its non-conference finale on Saturday inside Aztec Court at Peterson Gym.

The Aztecs (5-6) were outhit .270 to .097 on the day, posting a .037 clip over the final two sets, as the visiting Bulldogs (4-4) maintained the upper hand in team blocks (10.0 to 6.0) and owned a slight edge in kills (39-38) to help key their victory.

SDSU’s Taylor Underwood reached double figures in kills for the seventh straight match after finishing with 14 put-aways, while Amber Keen hit .400, launching seven non-returnables in 15 attempts with just one error.

Keen also recorded three blocks, including one solo effort, tying Campbell Hague (6 kills) for the team lead, while Zara Stewart paced all players with 12 digs.

In addition, Kendall Mairs handed out 19 assists and collected eight digs, sharing the setting responsibilities with Bella Jones, who totaled eight assists and three digs.

The Aztecs raced to 6-1 advantage in the first set, courtesy of two kills by Madison Corf and another by Hague, who also served up an ace. However, the momentum gradually swung in Yale’s favor, as the two teams ultimately combined for 13 ties and nine lead changes in the frame.

SDSU was the first to reach set point at 24-23, thanks to a joint block by Hague and Ella Schabort, who soon followed with an ace. The Scarlet and Black unable to secure the final tally, though, as an errant serve, an off-target attack and a kill by Gigi Barr allowed the visitors to escape.

Stung, the Aztecs were largely stymied in the second stanza, as 11 errors offset nine kills in 34 attempts for a minus-.059 efficiency. The Bulldogs matched SDSU’s output with nine put-aways of their own but maintained a sizable advantage in team blocks (5.0 to 1.0) and committed just two unforced attack errors while serving up a pair of aces to cruise through the set.     

The Aztecs found themselves on the wrong side of a 12-6 score after another kill by Barr, which prompted a timeout. SDSU quickly responded with a 4-1 spurt, highlighted Keen and Schabort, who each floored a shot, alternating with a Yale service error and a wayward attack.

Trailing 13-10 at this juncture, the Aztecs were unable to draw closer, as Yale unleashed a 12-4 closing run to clinch the set. Laurece Abraham joined forces with Betsy Goodenow on a block and later added a solo stop, while three additional unforced attack errors doomed SDSU’s comeback hopes.

The Aztecs came out firing in the third frame, recording 14 kills in 48 attack attempts but were plagued by nine errors for a .104 efficiency. Underwood (6) and Hague (4) combined for 10 of those put-aways, but a late 4-2 Yale spurt kept the Scarlet and Black at bay.

The Bulldogs seemed poised to break open the set, as Abraham posted a solo block and a kill while Goodenow floored a shot shortly thereafter to help give the visitors a 10-4 cushion.

SDSU fought back to tie the set at 13-13 on Keen’s solo stuff, which capped a 9-3 run. However, the Aztecs were unable to seize the upper hand, as Ava Poinsett knocked down a kill, while Barr joined forces with Lauren Kellen on a block to put Yale in front for good.

SDSU faced a series of two-point deficits down the stretch, including a 23-21 spread following a combined block by Keen and Underwood. However, consecutive kills by Goodenow and Kellan abruptly ended the match.

Kellen (11) and Abraham (10) recorded double-digit kills to lead the Bulldogs, with the latter posting a match-high seven blocks, including a pair of solo stops. In addition, Bethanie Wu led all players with 32 assists, while Yuri Park added 11 digs in the win.

San Diego State opens its final season of Mountain West competition next week when it hits the road for matches at Fresno State (Sept. 25) and San José State (Sept. 27).