Aztecs Complete Road Sweep at Fresno State for First Pac-12 Victory

FRESNO, Calif. – The San Diego State volleyball team employed timely runs to secure its first-ever victory in Pac-12 competition after posting a 3-0 sweep of Fresno State (25-23, 25-18, 25-18) on Saturday at Save Mart Center.

With the win, the Aztecs snap a three-match slide, improving to 6-6 overall and 1-1 in conference play, while the Bulldogs drop their second straight, falling to 5-8 on the season and 0-2 in Pac-12 action.

SDSU posted its third-best hitting percentage of the year with a .316 clip, maintaining the statistical advantage in most categories, including kills (47-28), service aces (6-3), digs (40-28) and team blocks (6.0 to 4.0) to defeat Fresno State for the fifth consecutive occasion.

In addition, the Scarlet and Black limited the Bulldogs to a .144 efficiency, marking the third lowest hitting percentage for an Aztec opponent this season.

SDSU was led by Ella Schabort, who blasted 12 kills, surpassing the double-digit plateau for the eighth time this year, while Tessa Schouten launched a career-high 11 put-aways of her own and tied her season best with three solo blocks.

Aztec fortunes were also bolstered by Annelise Rising, who knocked down nine kills in her first start of the year, while Taelyn Bentley floored six shots and finished with three blocks, including a pair of solo efforts.

Not to be outdone, Zara Stewart continued her stellar play with a match-high 16 digs, while Kendall Mairs led all players with 33 assists and three service aces.

SDSU stumbled out of the gates in the opening frame, falling behind by a 6-1 count, before narrowing the gap to two at 15-13, thanks to a Bentley kill. The Bulldogs subsequently forged a series of three-point leads, including a 20-17 spread following a Kiley Devery kill and an Aztec error.

However, the Scarlet and Black flashed its mettle with a strong 8-3 closing run to escape with the set. Five different players recorded a kill in that late stretch, while Stewart served up an ace. In addition, the Aztecs benefited from a bad set and an errant Fresno State attack, the latter of which enabled the visitors to reach set point. Moments later, Schabort blasted a kill to complete the SDSU comeback.

The high-octane first frame saw the Aztecs maintain a .371 hitting percentage, compared to a .364 clip for the Bulldogs, as the teams combined for 33 kills, including 18 for SDSU. Schouten floored all six of her shots in that span., while Schabort (.556) launched five non-returnables of her own, followed by Rising’s four kills.

The second stanza witnessed another hotly contested affair, as the two sides combined for 10 ties and four lead changes. Fresno State nursed a slim 17-15 advantage after an Andee May service ace; however, the Aztecs caught proverbial lightning in a bottle, unleashing a 10-1 blitz to build a commanding 2-0 lead on the set scoreboard.

Rising blasted three kills during the outburst, while Bentley put-away another shot after teaming with Mairs on a block. Stewart then found an empty space along the back line for an ace against a disbelieving Bulldog defense to secure the set.

Collectively, SDSU continued its crisp hitting in the frame, launching 15 kills in 32 attempts with four errors for a .344 efficiency. Rising led the Aztecs with five kills in the set, while Bentley contributed four put-aways and a pair of blocks, including a solo stop. Not to be outdone, the defense reigned supreme for the Scarlet and Black, which limited Fresno State to a minus-.032 hitting percentage in that span, thanks in large part to Stewart’s eight digs.

The teams traded punches early in set three, combining for five ties and pair of lead changes before the Aztecs gradually seized control. Trailing 8-7 after a Devery kill, SDSU vaulted in front for good with five straight points, courtesy of a Bulldog service error, a Bentley solo block, two aces by Mairs and a Schabort kill.

The Aztecs ultimately extended their lead to eight on two occasions, including a 19-11 advantage after a Fresno State service error. The Bulldogs never drew closer than five points the rest of the way, as two late kills by Layla Austin and two others by Bentley and Schabort helped the Scarlet and Black complete its fourth sweep of the year.

The Aztecs maintained a 14-7 margin in kills during the third set, with Austin and Schabort providing four apiece.

Fresno State was led by Jenna Legault’s 13 kills, while Devery knocked down seven in the loss.

San Diego State returns to action next week when it hits the road for a pair of Pac-12 matches at Boise State  (Oct. 1) and Washington State (Oct. 3).