Down 0-2, there was no panic from the San Diego State Aztecs volleyball team as they came back and defeated the Colorado State Rams in five sets at Peterson Gym on Thursday night.
With tonight’s win, head coach Brent Hilliard hit the century mark in career victories, yet his only focus was on tonight’s result.
“For this season, that’s the best we’ve played,” Hilliard said. “So, those last three games were the best response we’ve had. We had a lot of tight games. Overall, we’ve had a lot of good games, but this one for the season was important.”
Outside hitter Talea Mitchell set a career-high 24 kills. It only took her three sets to shatter her previous best (16).
Earlier in the season, Mitchell had to switch positions- Hilliard had high praise for Mitchell’s ability to adapt.
“She’s (Mitchell) is our middle blocker, turned outside hitter,” Coach Hilliard said. “She’s just learning the position and tonight, it looks like she’s starting to figure it out.”
Mitchell credited her team for her success in her new role.
“I’ve gained confidence adjusting,” Mitchell said. “Trusting my teammates covering for me, taking hard swings and just being that player that brings the energy and staying together.”
SDSU (12-5, 4-3 Mountain West) shifted momentum, as four of their eleven service aces came in the third stanza, to help them get on the board.
Hilliard spoke about being on the right end of a 0-2 comeback.
“We’ve lost being in that situation,” Hilliard said. “Being ahead by two sets and losing in five a lot this year. So we figured as long as we work hard, something is going to go our way and finally, momentum went our way.”
Mitchell echoed the feeling of losing sets in five matches.
“We’ve been through so many five-set losses,” Mitchell said. “We saw this game as a way to redeem ourselves. We came out guns blazing and we knew after the second set that we were not going to lose in three, four or five.”
Outside hitter Jasmine Davis had a pair of service aces in the fourth stanza that brought energy into the crowd, and Colorado State had to call timeout.
Davis notched a kill to end the set after Colorado State forced the Aztecs into five straight set-point attempts. She stuffed the stat sheet with ten kills, three service aces, ten digs and a block.
SDSU had swung momentum into their favor heading into the tiebreaker set.
“I think it was just the energy,” Mitchell said. “Having everyone on the same page, get everyone to produce, play desperately and know the feeling of losing the last game that we didn’t want to feel again.”
After Colorado State called timeout on set point, opposite hitter Natalie Hughes came up with the final of her six kills down the line to complete the comeback.
Prior to the match, Colorado State (9-8, 5-2 Mountain West) was first in conference play.
Mitchell spoke about the confidence the team gained after being tested.
“I think having the underdog mentality as we’re in a five-way tie for fifth,” Mitchell said. “And just knowing that we really can be at the top of the Mountain West soon.”
The Aztecs face Wyoming in their second of a three-match home stand at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 19 at Peterson Gym.
