Aztecs Close Out Flo Hyman Classic With Four-Set Victory over Omaha

HOUSTON – With two squads seeking their first victory of the weekend, the San Diego State volleyball team prevailed in four sets over Omaha (26-24, 21-25, 25-16, 25-22) on Saturday to wrap up the Flo Hyman Classic at Fertitta Center.

After suffering a pair of grueling five-set defeats to open the tournament, the Aztecs (2-3) flashed their resilience despite trailing in team blocks (13.0 to 3.0) and kills (49-47). The Scarlet and Black offset those deficiencies with a season-high 14 service aces while maintaining a 52-45 advantage in digs to help vanquish the Mavericks (2-3) in the first meeting between the two programs.

SDSU received a series of standout individual performances, including Taylor Underwood, who blasted 14 kills and finished with a .300 hitting percentage, while Ella Schabort and Bella Jones each recorded a double-double. Schabort racked up 11 kills of her own and topped the squad with 12 digs, while Jones dished out 17 assists and collected 10 digs.

Additionally, Schabort equaled her collegiate best with four services aces, tying for match-high honors with Campbell Hague, who also set a personal best in the process.

Not to be outdone, Amber Keen hit .529 for the day, launching nine kills without an error in 17 attempts to go with a pair of blocks, while Natalie Hughes (.316) floored seven shots and assisted on a block.

Elsewhere, Kendall Mairs compiled 16 assists and eight digs, sharing the setting responsibilities with Jones, while Keira Herron provided defensive support with seven digs.

The match unfolded as an epic battle in the opening set, with the two teams combining for a whopping 15 ties and six lead changes. Keen displayed her talents in the frame, smashing five kills on six attempts for a .833 efficiency to go with a pair of blocks, including a solo stop. In addition, Underwood launched four non-returnables in that span, while Schabort terminated three shots of her own.

Omaha vaulted in front by a 23-22 count thanks to a mishandled set and a kill by Kali Jurgensmeier. However, the proverbial pendulum swung in the opposite direction just moments later on a Maverick service error. SDSU quickly seized the opportunity with a 3-1 closing run to escape with the set, as Hughes, Talea Mitchell and Keen each contributed a kill down the stretch.

The second stanza was another hotly contested affair, featuring nine tie scores, including an 18-18 deadlock, which came on the heels of an Aztec timeout. However, the Mavericks took the lead for good with three straight points on a bad set, a kill by Ella Tiarks and a Torrey Tkach service ace. SDSU was unable to regain the upper hand for the remainder of the set, as a Julia Owens ace provided the clinching point shortly thereafter to even the match at 1-1.

Each team recorded nine kills and suffered five attack errors in a sluggish third set. However, seven Aztec aces against two errors along with four errant Omaha serves provided the final margin for the frame. Save for a 1-1 tie, SDSU led throughout, building a 16-8 advantage at the midway point of the set on three consecutive aces by Schabort. The Mavericks never drew closer than five points the rest of the way, as a Mairs service ace fittingly closed out the frame.

With a 2-1 lead on the set scoreboard, the Aztecs found themselves in pursuit mode for much of the fourth stanza, facing a 14-10 deficit following a Morgan DeBow kill. However, the Scarlet and Black caught proverbial lightning in a bottle with a 4-0 blitz, capped by an Underwood kill, to climb back into contention.

The Mavericks reclaimed a trio of slim advantages, including a 19-18 spread after an SDSU attack error. However, the momentum quickly shifted thanks to an errant Omaha serve. With the sweet smell of victory in the air, the Aztecs tallied four quick points to seize control.  Jones served up consecutive aces, while Schabort and Underwood followed with kills to give the Scarlet and Black a sudden 23-19 lead.

Two late put-aways by Jurgensmeier kept the Mavericks’ faint hopes alive. However, Underwood calmly extinguished any hopes of a comeback with her 14th kill of the match, as the Aztec bench erupted in jubilation.

Jurgensmeier led all players with 15 kills and 13 digs on the day to complete a double-double, while DeBow and Tiarks finished with 10 non-returnables in the loss.

San Diego State resumes its non-conference schedule next week when it heads up the freeway for the Long Beach State Tournament, Sept. 11-13, where the Aztecs will face Oregon, UC Riverside and Long Beach State on successive days.