San Diego State women’s volleyball lost to the University of Wyoming 3-1 on Thursday, Nov. 9, with set scores of 25-19, 25-22, 25-16, and 29-27.
The theme of the match was “Throwback Night,” as the first 250 fans were awarded a free scrunchie to celebrate the game.
The Aztecs easily defeated the Cowgirls in the first set, with a score of 25-19. The audience was cheering, and the heat was on as the team maintained their lead throughout the set.
The Aztecs’ early lead in the second set was short-lived, as Wyoming (18-8, 7-8) went on to win the next two sets, 25-22 and 25-16, respectively.
Head coach Brent Hilliard attributed the declining performance throughout the game to the team making mistakes against themselves and not finding a way to fully execute in the long rallies and powerful situations.
The intensity was through the roof when the fourth set began, as both teams were still ready to compete. Trailing 24-22, it looked like SDSU was going to take the loss for the night, however, the team rallied until finally, it initially looked as if the Aztecs won 26-24.
Wyoming chose to challenge the game point, arguing that San Diego committed a net offense. The challenge reversed a potential set-winning point and the pace of the game took a turn as the Cowgirls ended up on top, taking both the set and match with a 29-27 win.
Despite the tough result for the Aztecs, Taylor Underwood and Heipua Tautua’a both had outstanding performances, with 11 kills each over the course of the match.
Taylor Underwood said that the girls were “disappointed as a team because they had been preparing for this game for so long and did not play to the best of their ability.”
The frustration from both the players and coaches originated from the fact that they all understood this could have stretched the match to five sets if both teams played to their full potential.
San Diego State (9-18, 4-12 Mountain West Conference) dropped a three-set sweep against Colorado State on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Aztec Court at Peterson Gym.
The first set commenced with the Aztecs gaining an early lead, capitalizing on attack errors and exhibiting strong defensive plays. However, the Rams quickly turned the tide with a series of attacks, securing a narrow 25-23 win.
The second set had a raised level of competition, featuring ten ties and three lead changes. The Aztecs, leveraging CSU’s attack errors, demonstrated resilience and determination.
Nevertheless, the Rams countered effectively, ultimately clinching the set with a 30-28 victory.
Entering the third set, the Rams continued their momentum, maintaining a strong offensive presence. Despite spirited efforts from the Aztecs, the Rams finished the sweep with a convincing 25-15 win, securing the overall victory.
Throughout the match, the Aztecs showcased formidable teamwork, particularly in their eight team blocks. Despite the Rams’ cohesive performance, the Aztecs displayed moments of brilliance, with Underwood leading the team with 12.5 points.
Coach Brent Hilliard remained optimistic about the SDSU Aztecs’ future, emphasizing growth despite current challenges.
“I can see our team is gonna be extremely good, but right now, we are dealing with some really good teams in our conference,” Hilliard said, urging patience with the team’s young players, believing in the eventual payoff, “It’s going to pay off in the long run.”
Looking ahead, Hilliard envisioned a promising future, saying, “We got a really good future ahead of a chance at a conference championship next year.”
Underwood echoed this positive outlook, expressing confidence in the team’s ability to rebound from off days. “We are usually really good with it, so I think today was just a bit of an off day,” she said.
Next week the Aztecs will travel north and take on the San José State Spartans Thursday, Nov. 16 at 6 P.M.
