Aztec Winning Streak Snapped at Home by Boise State

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State volleyball team had its eight-match winning streak snapped on Thursday in a three-set loss to visiting Boise State (19-25, 23-25, 21-25) in a Pac-12 showdown inside Aztec Court at Peterson Gym.

With the defeat, the Aztecs slip to 13-7 on the season and 8-2 in conference play, while the Broncos move to 14-9 overall and 6-4 in Pac-12 action. In addition, SDSU falls two games behind front-runner Colorado State (17-3, 10-0 Pac-12) in the conference standings after the Rams posted a 3-0 triumph at Fresno State.

On Thursday, Boise State out-hit the Scarlet and Black .294 to .186, maintaining the statistical advantage in kills (48-38), service aces (7-4) and team blocks (7.0 to 6.0) to help even the season series at one match apiece.

The Aztecs received match highs from Ella Schabort (15 kills) and Zara Stewart (19 digs), while Kendall Mairs completed her 12th double-double of the year with 29 assists and 15 digs, but it wasn’t enough.

The SDSU cause was also aided by Layla Austin, who just missed a double-double after finishing with eight kills and 13 digs, while Tessa Schouten (.750) launched six put-aways of her own in eight attempts without an error while assisting on a pair of blocks.

Both teams featured high-octane attack in the opening set, as the Broncos posted a .438 efficiency, knocking down 15 kills in 32 attempts with just one error, while the Aztecs hit at a .321 clip, collecting 13 terminations against four miscues in 28 swings. Individually, Schabort (.444) blasted six non-returnables during the frame, while Austin, Schouten and Taelyn Bentley contributed two apiece.

However, Boise State led wire-to-wire, building a pair of seven-point advantages that proved too much to overcome. Giselle Paedeon launched a kill to give the visitors a 14-7 lead before SDSU countered with four straight points to narrow the gap. Schabort terminated two shots sandwiched around a Schouten put-away, while Bentley followed with an ace to trim the margin to 14-11.

The Aztecs were unable to draw closer than four points the rest of the way after Kendall Hastings notched a kill and Sydney Dreves followed with a service ace to spark an 11-8 closing run for the Broncos, which kept the host school at bay. Schabort launched three kills down the stretch and Bentley put away another ball, but it wasn’t enough, as Boise State countered with two late kills and another ace from Dreves, while Azlynn Tittman’s non-returnable provided the clinching point.

The frenetic pace continued in the second stanza, where each team blasted 18 kills, including eight by SDSU’s Schabort, who hit .438 in the frame after committing one error in 16 attempts, while Austin contributed four terminations in that span.

However, the Broncos posted three team blocks and benefitted from two additional unforced attack errors to escape with the set. Boise State was seemingly in control after consecutive kills by Reese Weinert and Tittmann increased its advantage to 19-13.

Following a timeout, the Aztecs responded with purpose, unleashing a 9-3 blitz to tie the score at 22-22. Schabort sparked the run with three kills sandwiched between service aces by Stewart and Austin, with the latter also joining forces with Bentley on a block. Unfortunately, SDSU was unable to seize the upper hand, as the Broncos withstood the challenge with late put-aways by Dreves, Savannah Sheridan and Hastings to grab a 2-0 lead on the set scoreboard.

Stung, the Aztecs looked to regroup in the third frame, where the contest turned into a defensive struggle, as the two sides combined for 16 attack errors, including nine by the Broncos. However, Boise State maintained a sizable 15-7 advantage in kills to dash any comeback hopes.

The teams battled through seven ties and two lead changes early in the set before the Broncos vaulted in front to stay at 12-10 thanks to a Paedon kill and a joint block by Hastings and Dreves.

SDSU remained within striking distance at 15-13 moments later courtesy of a Boise State service error but could not trim the deficit further. However, consecutive kills by Paedon and Hastings capped a 7-3 spurt that put the Broncos in the driver’s seat at 22-16.

Shortly thereafter, a service error and a misguided attack kept the proverbial door open for a rally, as the Boise State lead dwindled to 24-21, but that notion quickly evaporated when Sheridan knocked down a kill for the winning point on the heels of a timeout.

Dreves led the Broncos with 14 kills for the match and completed a double-double with 10 digs, while Weinert (.533) totaled eight put-aways in 15 attempts without an error. In addition, Hastings (5 kills) led all players with six blocks, including a pair of solo stops in the win.

San Diego State looks to start another victory streak on Saturday, Oct. 31, when it plays host to Washington State at noon PT. The Cougars (9-11, 4-6 Pac-12) dropped a five-set decision at Utah State on Thursday.