Aztecs Ground Air Force for Third Straight Victory

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – Fueled by Taylor Underwood’s match-high 18 kills, the San Diego State volleyball team notched its third consecutive victory on Thursday with a 3-1 triumph over a much-improved Air Force squad (25-17, 21-25, 27-25, 25-16) in a Mountain West clash inside Cadet East Gym.

With the decision, the Aztecs move to 3-0 to start conference play for the first time in program history, raising their record to 8-6 overall, while the Falcons slip to 9-6 on the season and 1-2 in the MW.

Despite trailing in team blocks (16.0 to 14.0), SDSU owned the statistical advantage in kills (56-48), service aces (7-2) and digs (68-57) to defeat Air Force for the third consecutive meeting and move to 43-11 in the all-time series.

Individually, Underwood surpassed the double-digit kill barrier for the 10th straight match with 18 put-aways to lead all players, while Amber Keen launched 12 non-returnables of her own and finished with a team-high eight block assists.

The Aztecs’ fortunes were also buoyed by Madison Corf (5 kills, 2 aces, 4 blocks) and Zara Stewart, who each collected a career-high 20 digs, while Campbell Hague (4 kills) chipped in defensively with five block assists.

In addition, Natalie Hughes got into the act with nine kills and three block assists, while Bella Jones and Kendall Mairs split the setting chores. Jones tied her career best with 25 assists and scooped up a collegiate-high 13 digs for her fourth double-double of the season, while Mairs dished out 19 helpers.

Save for an early 1-1 tie, SDSU maintained the upper hand throughout the first set, building a comfortable 17-10 cushion after consecutive kills by Corf, Underwood and Hughes. The Aztecs led by as many as 10 points, increasing their advantage to 22-12 following another Underwood termination and a Falcon attack error. Moments later, Keen smashed a kill from the middle to provide the clinching point.

Collectively, the Aztecs posted their highest hitting percentage of the night with a .314 efficiency for the frame, blasting 16 kills in 35 attempts with five errors, while the Falcons were limited to a .088 clip, totaling 11 put-aways against eight miscues in 34 swings. Underwood floored five shots and hit .364 for the set, while Keen contributed four terminations at a .429 pace.

SDSU experienced a reversal of fortune in the second stanza, recording a .079 efficiency on 10 kills in 38 attempts with seven errors. The Aztecs held a 5-4 edge in team blocks, including four assisted rejections by Keen. However, Air Force posted its highest hitting percentage of the match with a .263 clip n 16 kills against six errors in 38 attempts to help even the contest.

Trailing 21-15, the Scarlet and Black trimmed the deficit to two on three occasions, including a 23-21 spread following a combined block by Keen and Underwood. However, the Aztecs self-destructed down the stretch, committing a service error before a wayward attack allowed the Falcons to escape.

The third set evolved into a slugfest, as the teams combined for 11 ties and seven lead changes. SDSU held a 17-13 edge in kills for the frame, overcoming nine errors with two team blocks and a pair of aces.

The Aztecs seemed poised to pull away down the stretch after a bad set thrust the visitors into a 16-11 lead. However, the Falcons stormed back with a 9-3 surge to vault in front 20-19. Grace Fiaseu assisted on three blocks to highlight the run, joining forces with Alysa Walker on two of those rejections after teaming with Brooksie Isham on another. 

Stung, the Aztecs responded with a timely 5-1 run, featuring two kills and a service ace by Corf, to reclaim a 24-21 advantage. Shortly thereafter, Air Force fought itself off the proverbial ropes with four straight points, including a joint block by Isham and Alex Hatchett, while Ashley Bible followed with a kill after an SDSU attack error, which positioned the hosts at set point, 25-24.

In sudden swing of momentum, however, the Aztecs promptly stole the Falcons’ thunder, as Hughes blasted two kills, sandwiched around another put-away by Hague, giving the Scarlet and Black a 2-1 edge on the set scoreboard.

After battling through three early ties in the fourth set, including a 6-6 deadlock, SDSU scored six straight points to seize control of the match. Keen combined with Corf and Hughes on a pair of blocks, with the latter supplying a kill to give the visitors a 12-6 lead they would not relinquish.

Hague contributed a kill, a service ace and a joint block with Corf down the stretch to help keep Air Force at bay, while Keen soon followed with a termination to end the contest.

The Aztecs limited the weary Falcons to a .000 hitting percentage in the set, as eight errors offset eight kills in 35 attempts.

Air Force was paced by Bible’s 16 kills, while Fiaseu led all players with 11 block assists in the loss.

San Diego State wraps up its weekend road trip on Saturday, Oct. 4, when it squares off against the Nevada Wolf Pack at Virginia Street Gym in Reno, Nevada. First serve is set for noon PT.