Team Effort Propels Aztecs Past Spartans in Five Sets

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Diego State volleyball team completed its opening weekend of Mountain West competition with a 2-0 record after outlasting San José State on Saturday in a five-set battle (25-23, 24-26, 25-17, 15-25, 15-10) inside Spartan Gym.

The Aztecs maintained the statistical advantage in hitting percentage (.248 to .179), kills (60-52), team blocks (13.0 to 8.0) and digs (57-53), overcoming 13 service errors to raise their record to 7-6 on the season.

With the victory, SDSU also wins its first two conference-opening matches for the first time since 2011, while Spartans drop to 6-7 overall and 1-1 in league play.

The Scarlet and Black received a series of outstanding individual performances, featuring Taylor Underwood, who led all players with a season-high 22 kills and hit .400 for the afternoon after committing just four errors in 45 attempts.

In addition, the Aztec cause was bolstered by Madison Corf, who just missed a double-double after launching 10 put-aways of her own to go with nine digs.

Once again, SDSU’s balance was on full display in Silicon Valley, as four other players totaled at least five kills, including six apiece by Amber Keen and Campbell Hague, while Natalie Hughes and Talea Mitchell finished with five each.

Not to be outdone, Keen and Hughes were virtually unstoppable at the net after both players registered a career-high nine blocks, with the latter notching two solo efforts.

As usual, the Aztecs’ setting responsibilities were split by Kendall Mairs and Bella Jones, with both competitors recording double-doubles. Mairs tied her collegiate best with 27 assists and collected 11 digs, while Jones dished out 21 helpers and finished with a career-high 11 scoops.

The teams combined for 17 ties in a fiercely contested first set, where SDSU logged its highest hitting percentage of the afternoon with .444 clip after blasting 14 kills against two errors in 27 attempts. Individually, Corf (.571) and Underwood (.444) led the way with five terminations apiece during the frame, as each player committed just one miscue.

With the score knotted at 23-23, Corf floored a shot to put the visitors in front, while SJSU followed with an attack error on the ensuing point, allowing the Aztecs to escape.

The second stanza was also a see-saw battle that witnessed 11 ties and eight lead changes. Underwood continued her heroics with seven kills in the set, while Keen and Hague contributed two each.

Trailing 20-17, San Diego State fought itself off the proverbial ropes and forged two late ties, including a 24-24 deadlock after consecutive kills by Underwood. However, the Spartans tallied the final two points on an Aztec attack error and a kill by Lolo Fonua to even the match at one set apiece.

The SDSU offense was firing on all cylinders in the third frame, where the visitors owned an 18-8 advantage in kills, committing six errors in 33 swings for a .364 efficiency. In addition, Keen and Hughes cranked up the defensive efforts with three blocks apiece.

The Aztecs found themselves in a 6-6 tie before vaulting in front for good on Underwood’s kill, while Corf followed with back-to-back put-aways of her own to give the visitors a 9-6 cushion.

San José State remained within striking distance, narrowing the gap to 16-14 on kill by Sariah Johnson. However, the Aztecs responded with an impressive 9-3 closing run to keep the host school at bay. The Scarlet and Black received two late kills by Mitchell and Keen, while Hague served up an ace. Moments later, Corf floored a shot for the clinching point, giving the Aztecs a 2-1 lead on the set scoreboard.

SDSU was unable to sustain the momentum in the fourth set, hitting just .091 for the frame after knocking down just eight kills in 33 attempts with five errors. On the flip side, the Spartans logged their best efficiency of the match with a .414 clip during that span after recording 14 put-aways against two errors in 29 swings.

Still, the Aztecs nursed an early 5-4 advantage on a Mitchell kill before SJSU seized control with a 10-0 blitz. Clara Christensen served up two aces in that stretch, while Ava Hewitt and Naima Foster each terminated two shots. SDSU pulled with seven on three occasions but could draw no closer.

The stage was then set for a fifth and deciding frame, where the Aztecs held a 6-5 edge in kills and 3-0 spread in team blocks to ultimately put the Spartans in their rearview mirror.

Facing a 2-2 tie, SDSU took the lead for good on an Underwood kill and consecutive attack errors by the hosts. The Aztecs methodically increased their advantage to 13-5, as Hughes and Keen combined on a pair of blocks, sandwiched around a kill by Annelise Rising.  The Spartans twice trimmed the margin to four, including a 14-10 spread following a service error. However, the Scarlet and Black dashed SJSU's hopes of a miraculous comeback with Keen’s quick kill from the middle after a timeout.

The Spartans were led by Mariana Buchanan’s 11 kills, while Fonua and Learden Lee finished with nine apiece in the loss.

San Diego State continues its Mountain West schedule next week with two additional road matches, squaring off against Air Force on Thursday, Oct. 2, before battling Nevada on Saturday, Oct. 4.