Aztecs Power Past Boise State in Four Sets

BOISE, Idaho – The San Diego State volleyball team won its second straight match with a resounding four-set triumph over Boise State (25-17, 19-25, 25-17, 25-16) on Thursday at Bronco Gym.

With the victory, the Aztec improve to 7-6 on the year and 2-1 in Pac-12 action, while the Broncos slip to 9-6 overall and 1-1 in conference play.

SDSU’s fortunes were bolstered by the trio of Ella Schabort, Layla Austin and Kendall Mairs, each of whom completed a double-double.

Schabort led all players with 18 kills and a season-best 14 digs, while Austin (.406) finished with 17 put-aways and 11 scoops of her own. Not to be outdone, Mairs dished out a career-high 50 assists and collected 10 digs, helping the Scarlet and Black win in Boise for the second year in a row.

In addition, the Aztecs received nine kills from Taelyn Bentley, who hit .438 on the night after committing just two errors on 16 attempts, while Tessa Schouten launched seven non-returnables of her own and came through with a team-high five blocks, including a solo stop.

Elsewhere, Zara Stewart contributed nine digs along the back row, while Schabort assisted on four blocks.

Despite trailing in team blocks (11.0 to 8.0), SDSU maintained a sizable statistical advantage in kills (65-39), hitting percentage (.278 to .178) and digs (60-44) to help key its victory.

The Aztecs set the tone in the first set, out-hitting Boise State .324 to .051, while holding the edge in kills (16-9), digs (19-13) and team blocks (4.0 to 2.0). Bentley was on fire in that stretch, flooring four of five balls without an error for a .800 efficiency, while Austin smashed four kills as well.

The team traded punches through seven early ties before SDSU vaulted in front for good with a timely 7-3 run, which broke an 8-8 deadlock. Schabort knocked down two kills in that span and assisted on a block with Bentley, who also terminated a shot and teamed with Annabelle De Jager on another rejection.

The Broncos twice trimmed the margin to three, including a 16-13 spread following a Sadie Snyder kill but could draw no closer. The Aztecs employed a strong 9-4 run to close out the frame, sparked by Mairs, who blasted a kill and joined forces with Schouten on a block, sandwiched around a Nazare Judd service ace.  Following another ace by Stewart moments later, Bentley launched two late kills, including the clincher.

SDSU maintained a 16-12 advantage in kills during the second stanza, but Boise State flipped the script with six team blocks and a service, while capitalizing on four unforced Aztec attack errors to even the match at one set apiece. Schabort led the cause for the Scarlet and Black with six kills in the frame, while Austin floored three shots as well.

After two early ties, the Broncos gradually pulled away, building a 16-9 cushion courtesy of a joint block by Snyder and Kendall Hastings, while Melia Barlow served up an ace. The Aztecs twice narrowed the gap to three, including a 17-14 margin following a kill by Annelise Rising but could not seize the upper hand. Reese Weinert followed with two kills sandwiched around a Giselle Paedon solo block, and SDSU never threatened again.

Shortly thereafter, Snyder teamed with Hastings on block before knocking down a kill for the clinching point.

Stung, the Aztecs responded with their best hitting percentage of the night with a .387 clip in the third set. SDSU held a 17-11 advantage in kills during the frame, committing just five errors in 31 attempts. Austin (6) and Schabort (5) combined for 11 kills in that span, as each player served up an ace.

Clinging to a precarious 8-6 lead, the Aztecs benefited from a service error and a bad set, while Austin followed with two straight kills to give the visitors momentum. Austin duplicated the feat with consecutive put-aways later in the set to increase the SDSU bulge to an insurmountable 20-13 advantage, while Schabort soon followed with a pair of kills for the final two points of the frame.

Save for a 2-2 deadlock, the Aztecs led wire-to-wire in the fourth set, as Schouten blasted two early kills and teamed with Schabort on a block, while Austin added a solo stop and floored a shot to provide the Scarlet and Black a commanding 13-6 lead. Boise State never drew closer than five points the rest of the way, as Schabort fittingly closed out the affair with two more late kills, including the match winner.

SDSU limited the Broncos to a .077 hitting percentage in the final stanza, as the host school mustered just seven kills against five errors in 26 attempts.

Mairs’ production marked her ninth double-double of the season, while Austin accomplished the feat for the fourth time this year to go with Schabort’s third.

Boise State was led by Snyder’s nine kills, while Hastings finished with seven put-aways and six block assists in the loss.

The Aztecs wrap up their road swing at Washington State on Saturday, Oct. 3, beginning at noon PT. The Cougars (6-6, 1-1 Pac-12) were idle on Thursday.