Aztecs Finish Strong in Four-Set Victory over CSU Bakersfield

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The San Diego State volleyball team rebounded from a hard-fought loss to Cal the previous day with a 3-1 triumph over Cal State Bakersfield (25-17, 20-25, 25-14, 25-19) on Sunday afternoon to wrap up its weekend stay at the Santa Clara Mission Classic in Leavey Center.

The Aztecs received double-digit kills from Ella Schabort, Annelise Rising and Layla Austin to finish the weekend with a 2-1 mark and raise their season record to 5-3, while the Roadrunners slip to 3-5 on the year.

With the teams knotted at 1-1 in sets, SDSU hit a combined .417 over the final two frames to improve to 3-0 this season in matches following a defeat. Surge

Schabort led all players with 17 kills, while Annelise Rising made her season debut a memorable one, launching 11 put-aways with just one error in 14 attempts across three sets off the bench for a crisp .714 efficiency.In addition, Layla Austin recorded 10 non-returnables of her own, reaching the double-digit kill barrier for the seventh time in eight starts.

Defensively, Zara Stewart tied Austin for match-high honors with nine digs, while Chelseas Cocks posted a season-high six blocks, including a pair of solo stops.

Not to be outdone. The Aztecs received another superlative performance from setter Kendall Mairs, who set a career high with 44 assists while contributing eight digs and two aces.

Despite trailing in team blocks (7.5 to 6.0) and tying CSUB with seven service aces, SDSU owned a hefty advantage in kills (51-38), hitting percentage (.300 to .182) and digs (41-31) to help raise its record to 6-1 in the all-time series.

The Aztecs maintained the upper hand for most of the opening frame but the ‘Runners found themselves within striking distance midway, trimming the deficit to 15-11 on a Jordan Waite-Ward kill, an Annalise Gagliano service ace and an SDSU attack error.

However, the Aztecs responded with a 5-1 blitz to effectively dash any CSUB comeback hopes. Schabort knocked down consecutive kills during the run and Cocks followed with a solo block, while Scarlet and Black also benefited from a pair of errant ‘Runner attacks. SDSU later received kills from Mairs, Tessa Schouten and Haylee Brown to help clinch the set.

CSUB flipped the script in the second stanza, building a series of five-point leads, including an 18-13 spread following an Aztec attack error. SDSU narrowed the gap to three on several occasions, pulling to within 20-17 on a kill by Cocks. However, Defne Yanik and Waite-Ward followed with consecutive put-aways, while Suelen Lima and Anna Bacchin joined forces on a block to help keep the Aztecs at bay. Moments later, Leylah Duran floored a shot for the clinching point to even the match at one set apiece.

The Aztecs went back to work with a sense of urgency in the third frame, posting their highest hitting percentage of the match, as the Scarlet and Black blasted 14 kills in 20 attempts with just two errors for a stellar .600 efficiency. Rising provided instant offense during the set, hitting .667 in that stretch on five kills against one miscue in six attempts, while Schabort (.571) put away five shots of her own.

Still, the teams battled through five early ties, including a 9-9 deadlock, before Schouten smashed a kill and quickly followed with an ace to ignite an impressive 16-5 closing run. In addition, Austin and Stewart each served up an ace during the outburst, while Cocks teamed with Rising on a block.

Buoyed by its good fortune, SDSU led wire-to-wire in the fourth set and were never threatened after racing to an insurmountable 12-4 advantage. Rising blasted five kills alone in that span, while Schabort added three, with the Aztecs benefiting from two service errors.

The ‘Runners twice managed to pull within five down the stretch, including a 24-19 spread on a joint block by Waite-Ward and Bacchin. However, the comeback effort came too little, too late, as Schabort fittingly ended the match with her 17th kill shortly thereafter.

Rising (.750) and Schabort (.444) each finished with six kills in the set, while Stewart recorded seven of her nine digs in the frame to help stymie the CSUB attack.

Following the contest, Stewart was named Player of the Match, adding three setting assists and a service ace for the day.

CSUB received 10 kills apiece from Waite-Ward and Lima, with the latter tying Luisa Da Cruz (16 assists) for team-high honors with seven digs in the loss.

After eight matches away from The Mesa, San Diego State will conduct its home opener at Peterson Gym on Friday, Sept. 18, when it battles Arizona at 6 p.m. PT.

The following night, the Aztecs will make the short drive across town to face the University of San Diego on Saturday, Sept. 19 at Jenny Craig Pavilion, beginning at 7 p.m.