Aztecs Fall in Pac-12 Opener at Colorado State, 3-1
The San Diego State volleyball team ran out of steam in its inaugural Pac-12 match, dropping a four-set decision to Colorado State (25-23, 19-25, 14-25, 19-25) on Thursday in Fort Collins, Colorado.
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The San Diego State volleyball team ran out of steam in its inaugural Pac-12 match, dropping a four-set decision to Colorado State (25-23, 19-25, 14-25, 19-25) on Thursday at Moby Arena.
After posting their best hitting percentage of the night (.263) in the opening frame, the Aztecs (5-6, 0-1 Pac-12) hit just .076 over the final three sets, finishing with a .126 overall efficiency en route to their third straight defeat.
Conversely, the Rams (8-3, 1-0 Pac-12), who received votes in this week’s AVCA coaches poll, recorded a .317 hitting percentage for the match and maintained a sizable advantage in team blocks (14.0 to 4.0), as well as a slight edge in service aces (4-2), to help key their win.
In addition, SDSU was undone by 19 unforced attack errors, compared to eight for CSU, despite maintaining a 55-41 advantage in digs and knocking down one less kill than the Rams (52-51).
Ella Schabort tied for match-high honors with 13 kills, while Layla Austin surpassed the double-digit plateau for her team-leading ninth occasion after launching 11put-aways of her own.
The Aztecs’ fortunes were also buoyed by Taelyn Bentley, who hit .750 for the match after smashing nine kills without an error in 12 attempts while adding a team-high three block assists.
Elsewhere, Kendall Mairs completed her eighth double-double of the year after collecting 38 assists and 11 digs, while Zara Stewart led all players with 17 digs, anchoring SDSU’s back row.
The teams battled through a hotly contested first set, combining for 13 ties and four lead changes. With the score knotted at 20-20, the Aztecs vaulted in front for good, as a Schabort kill and a CSU attack error sparked a 5-3 closing run. The Rams trimmed the deficit to one on three occasions, including a 24-23 spread following an errant SDSU attack. However, Bentley left no doubt on the next play, flooring a thunderous shot past a diving Ram defender for the clinching point.
The Scarlet and Black displayed a balanced attack in the opening frame, with Bentley and Schabort knocking down five kills apiece, while Austin, Tessa Schouten and Haylee Brown added two apiece.
Unfortunately, the Aztecs were unable to build on their momentum, as CSU led wire-to-wire in each of the ensuing sets.
Austin led the charge with five kills for SDSU in the second stanza, while Schabort launched three non-returnables in that span. Collectively, the Aztecs own a slight 13-12 advantage in kills during the set, but committed five more attack errors (7-2), while the Rams came up with three team blocks and a pair of service aces to keep the Aztecs at bay.
SDSU found itself looking up at a 10-2 deficit but gradually narrowed the deficit to 14-12 after an errant CSU serve and consecutive kills by Austin, Bentley and Schabort. However, the Rams countered with five straight points of their own to extinguish any Aztec comeback hopes, as Eve Wilson and Sofia Zabjek joined forces on a block to give the hosts a 19-12 advantage.
SDSU was unable to pull within five points the rest of the way, as Zabjeck combined on another block with Kekua Richards for the clinching point, which tied the contest at one set apiece.
The Aztecs’ inconsistency continued in the third frame, where 10 attack errors in 34 attempts offset 10 kills. On the flip side, CSU countered with 11 kills against one error in 26 swings for a .385 efficiency while maintaining the edge in team blocks (4.0 to 1.0). Schabort knocked down three kills in the set, while Austin and Annabelle De Jager floored two shots apiece.
SDSU trailed just 11-9 following a Ram service error before the hosts crafted a timely 14-5 run to capture the frame going away. The Aztecs self-destructed with five unforced attack errors down the stretch, while Richards and Erin Debiec teamed up on a block to secure the set.
Needing to win the fourth stanza to extend the match, SDSU fought valiantly in the early going, narrowing the gap to 11-10 after an Austin kill. However, CSU responded with a decisive 6-1 run to seize control at 17-11. Wilson launched two kills in that span and capped the outburst with a joint block, combining with Halle Jameson.
The Aztecs pulled to within five on two occasions, including a 24-19 spread following a Schabort kill. The deficit proved too much to overcome, Jameson’s final shot found the floor to clinch the win for the Rams.
CSU was led by Jameson (13) and Zabjeck (12), who both surpassed the double-digit kill plateau, while Wilson and Richards finished with eight put-aways each. Richards also led all players with eight blocks, including a pair of solo stops, while Zabjeck assisted on seven rejections. Additionally, Debiec completed a double-double with 42 assists and 13 digs.
San Diego State continues its road swing on Saturday, Sept. 26, when it battles Fresno State, starting at 1 p.m. PT inside Save Mart Center.