Sept. 29, 2016
San Jose, Calif.-- Five Spartans recorded double-digit kills as the San José State volleyball team hit over .300 and rallied from an 0-2 deficit to defeat New Mexico, 3-2 (21-25, 24-26, 25-19, 29-27, 15-13) Thursday night in front an energetic crowd at Spartan Gym.
In the win, the Spartans outhit the Lobos, .311 to .219. For the first time this season, five Spartans recorded double-digit kills in a match. Hana Tresnáková led the team with 16 kills, followed by Nandyala Gama at 15, Latahevai Lousi and Giulia Gávio at 14 and Thaliana Grajeda at 11.
Gama had her best hitting match of the season at .483. Her 15 kills came on 29 attempts and only one error. Lousi and Grajeda also had great hitting nights, Lousi at .357 (14-4-28) and Grajeda at .321 (11-2-28).
Breann Robinson recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 56 assists and a career and team-best 19 digs. She also had two blocks and four kills in the win.
Luiza Andrade was one assist short of her second double-double of the year with 17 digs and nine assists. She also had three of the team's six service aces.
The Spartans had to rally in the match after dropping the first two sets 25-19 and 26-24. In the second-set loss, San José State was up 19-14 before the Lobos used a 6-1 run to tie the set at 20-20. The two teams battled back and forth, with New Mexico finally winning on its third set point.
After the 10-minute break, the Spartans came out and took a 13-12 lead on a Lobo hitting error and never looked back. The Spartans biggest lead was six points twice, 24-18 and the winning score of 25-19.
The teams battled in the fourth set before the Spartans prevailed 29-27. San José State had a lead for much of the set, but New Mexico would not give up. Grajeda gave the team its first opportunity to win the set at 24-23, but the Lobos would not give up and had match point three times (25-24, 26-25, 27-26). San José State got kils from Gávio and Gama to arrive at set point, and Gavio and Gama combined for the set-winning block and force a fifth set.
In the fifth set, San José State took control from the first serve and did not relinquish the lead in the 15-13 win. The team got out to leads of 7-3 and 12-8 and needed two match points before getting the win on a Tresnáková kill.
The conference win is the first in the young Mountain West season as the team is now 8-7 overall and 1-2 in the MW. New Mexico falls to 10-6 overall and 1-2 in the MW.
San José State returns to Spartan Gym Saturday afternoon to face conference co-leader UNLV at 1 p.m. The Lady Rebels won at Fresno State, 3-2, Thursday night.
MW Match
Spartan Gym
San José State def. New Mexico - 3-2 (21-25, 24-26, 25-19, 29-27, 15-13).
Kills - NM - Devanne Sours 18; SJSU - Hana Tresnáková 16, Nandyala Gama 15, Latahevai Lousi 14, Giulia Gávio 14, Thaliana Grajeda 11.
Records - New Mexico 10-6, 1-2; San José State 8-7, 1-2.
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