San Diego State volleyball picked up a win and a loss on the road last week to take their record to 9-7 overall and 4-2 in conference play. The Aztecs met the University of New Mexico on Thursday before traveling to Colorado to face the U.S. Air Force Academy on Saturday.
New Mexico edged out SDSU in a tough five set battle with scores of 27-25, 23-25, 22-25, 25-22, 15-4.
The opening set the tone for a close match as the teams found themselves tied up at 20. The Aztecs took the lead to 24-22, but three consecutive points from the Lobos handed them the set.
The second set saw the Aztecs trailing the Lobos by five points before a 9-2 run by SDSU put them ahead. New Mexico couldn’t catch up and the Aztecs took the set.
Much like the first set, the third saw the two teams trading off the lead. But with the score at 20-20 the Aztecs took control of the set, scoring five of the last seven points.
In the fourth, SDSU found itself down by seven before an impressive rally brought them within one. But back-to-back kills from the Lobos secured the set for New Mexico. In the fifth and deciding set New Mexico raced to a lead that SDSU couldn’t match and took the set 11 points clear of the Aztecs.
Junior outside hitter Michelle Waber led the Aztecs with 16 kills and season highs in digs and blocks, recording eight and three respectively. Freshman middle blocker Baylee Little stepped up to record or tie career highs in all categories, with 13 kills, four blocks, three digs, two assists and a service ace.
Waber said the team used the loss against New Mexico as motivation to stay focused for their game against Air Force.
[quote]“I think the loss against New Mexico kind of gave us a little more fire to come out and win against Air Force,” Waber said. “I think everyone was upset about the loss in New Mexico because it was so close and we definitely should have won it. We worked extremely hard but it didn’t finish the right way.”[/quote]
In Colorado the Aztecs downed the Falcons in four sets (25-22, 24-26, 27-25, 25-17), giving the Aztecs their third victory over Air Force last week following the successes of football and women’s soccer.
Four Aztecs met double figures in kills led by Waber with 16. Junior right side hitter Chaiymin Steel recorded 13 while sophomore outside hitter Halle Aiken and senior middle blocker Emily Harris added 10 each. Senior setter Johnna Fouch logged 33 assists and 11 digs while senior defensive specialist Justine Ricigliano topped all players with 24 digs.
[quote]“I think there were a lot of points where we did some really good things this weekend,” Waber said. “Now its just a matter of making those moments consistent and executing when it counts.”[/quote]
Photo by Jordan Owen, Senior Staff Photographer
