Aztecs Win Fourth Straight after Road Sweep at Nevada

RENO, Nev. – The San Diego State volleyball team employed a balanced attack and timely runs on Saturday to key its three-set road sweep (25-20, 25-18, 25-22) over a plucky Nevada squad in a Mountain West match at Virginia Street Gym.

With the victory, the Aztecs keep their unblemished conference record intact at 4-0, raising their record to 9-6 on the season, while the Wolf Pack drop their fifth straight, falling to 4-10 overall and 0-4 in the MW.

SDSU logged its second-highest hitting percentage of the season with a .345 efficiency while maintaining the statistical advantage in kills (50-37), digs (40-37) and team blocks (8.0 to 6.0) to complete its fourth sweep of the 2025 campaign.

Individually, Taylor Underwood and Natalie Hughes tied for match-high honors with 12 kills, while Ella Schabort (11) and Amber Keen (10) also surpassed the double-digit barrier in put-aways.

Hughes’ 12 terminations marked a career-high, while Keen posted a .562 hitting percentage, committing just one error in 16 attempts. Not to be outdone, Hughes also led all players with five blocks, while Keen finished with four rejections of her own along with Campbell Hague.

Elsewhere, Bella Jones set a career best with 27 assists, splitting the setting chores with Kendall Mairs, who dished out 14 helpers, while Zara Stewart tied for match-high honors with 11 digs.

Still, the Aztecs were engaged in tight battles throughout each of the three sets, as the two teams combined for 32 ties and 16 lead changes for the day.

SDSU posted its highest hitting percentage of the match with a .424 clip in the opening frame, knocking down 19 kills in 33 attempts with just three errors. Hughes was on fire during the set, launching six non-returnables in eight swings without a miscue while assisting on a pair of blocks. Additionally, Keen (.800) and Underwood (.667) were spotless on a combined 11 attempts, flooring four shots apiece.

After nine ties and three lead changes, however, the Aztecs found themselves on the wrong side of a 19-18 score following a kill by Nevada’s Bella Snyder. Unfazed, SDSU fought itself off the proverbial ropes with a strong 7-1 closing run to capture the set. Hughes stole the spotlight down the stretch with three late kills while joining forces with Hague on a block. The Scarlet and Black also benefited from a Wolf Pack service error and a wayward attack, the latter of which provided the clinching point.

The second stanza was a near replica of the first, as the Aztecs crafted some late magic with a 7-0 blitz to capture the set. The visitors recorded another stellar hitting percentage with a .424 clip during the frame, blasting 17 kills against three errors in 33 attempts. Schabort (.833) and Underwood (.556) continued their frantic pace with five put-aways each without a miscue.

Nevada owned an early 6-3 lead on Nicanora Clarke’s service ace, but the hosts were unable to build on their advantage before the set evolved into a dogfight with 10 ties and three lead changes. With the score knotted at 18-18, SDSU caught lightning in a bottle once again, as consecutive kills by Underwood ignited a 7-0 outburst down the stretch. Hughes also figured prominently in that span, launching two non-returnables, including the clinching kill after a joint block with Hague, who floored a late shot as well.

The two sides witnessed another see-saw affair in the third set, combining for a whopping 13 ties and nine lead changes. The Aztecs maintained a slight 14-13 edge in kills during the frame, with Keen (.667) and Schabort (.300) providing four apiece.

Trailing 18-17 after a Clarke kill, the Aztecs flashed their trademark resiliency with four straight points to vault in front for good. Keen was a near one-person wrecking crew with two kills and a solo block in that stretch, while Schabort launched a put-away of her own, helping the Scarlet and Black forge a 21-18 lead.

The Wolf Pack remained within striking distance, twice trimming the deficit to one, including a 23-22 spread following Haylee Brown’s kill. However, Underwood single-handedly dashed Nevada’s comeback hopes with consecutive kills to complete the sweep.

Clarke finished with 10 kills to lead the Wolf Pack, while Audrey Jensen led all players with 28 assists in the loss.

San Diego State returns to “America’s Finest City” to open a three-match homestand, starting Thursday, Oct. 9, when the Aztecs battle New Mexico inside Peterson Gym. First serve is set for 6 p.m. PT.