Nov. 10, 2016
USAFA, Colo.- Nandyala Gama continued her climb up the San José State blocking lists on Thursday as she moved up one list and entered two others as the Spartan volleyball team won at Air Force, 3-2, (25-21, 19-25, 25-21, 25-27, 15-13) in a Mountain West match at Clune Arena.
Gama continued her climb up the San José State season block assists list. She started the night in sixth place with 114 block assists, recorded five block assists during the match and is now tied for third place with Liz Hudson at 119 block assists. Hudson set the school record in 2001 with 134 block assists.
Gama entered the San José State season total blocks list during the match. She recorded six blocks on the night and now has 128 blocks in 2016. Gama is 10th on the list and needs just two more to move into ninth place. Kim Hicks holds the school record with 151 blocks, set in 1988.
In her third season at San José State, Gama entered the school's career block assists list this evening. She started the match just outside of the top-10 with 227 block assists. With her five block assists, she is now 10th on the list with 233. Joslynn Gallop holds the record with 391 from 1997-2000.
The Spartans needed some drama to win the match in the fifth set as libero Luiza Andrade received the Falcon serve, and the overpass went over the net and landed between Falcon players for Andrade's only kill of the night and a San José State victory. Andrade recorded nine digs, four assists, an ace and her kill for the Spartans.
Giulia Gávio led the team with 16 kills and recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 10 digs. She also had three blocks and an ace.
Gama led the team in hitting at .440 with 14 kills on 25 attempts and only three errors. She had a career-best three service aces to go with her six blocks and two digs.
Summer Avery was the third Spartan to record double-digit kills with 12. She hit .423 on the night with 26 attempts and only one error and added three blocks and a dig.
Thaliana Grajeda led the Spartans with seven block assists, while Latahevai Lousi added five blocks.
The Spartans won the first and third sets by identical 25-21 scores. The team led in the second set 4-3, but the Falcons used an 8-0 run to take the lead for good and win the set 25-19. The fourth set found the two teams battling down the stretch, with the Spartans even having match point at 25-24, but Air Force scored three consecutive points for the set win.
San José State improves to 12-15 overall and 5-10 in the MW, while Air Force falls to 9-18 overall and 0-14 in the conference. The Spartans play at Boise State Saturday afternoon beginning at 2 p.m. MST/1 p.m. PST.
MW Match
Clune Arena, USAFA
San José State def. Air Force 3-2 (25-21, 19-25, 25-21, 25-27, 15-13).
Kills - SJSU - Giulia Gávio 16, Nandyala Gama 14, Summer Avery 12; AF - Elizabeth Pennington 24.
Records - San José State 12-15, 5-10; Air Force 9-18, 0-14.
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