Nov. 11, 2017
San Jose, Calif.--For the second consecutive year, the San José State volleyball team halted #19 Colorado State's winning streak as the Spartans upset the Rams, 3-2 (20-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-21, 15-11) Saturday afternoon in a Mountain West match at Spartan Gym.
The Spartans stopped Colorado State's 15-match winning streak and 16-set winning streak and handed the Rams just their third loss of the season . San José State had not beaten a ranked opponent since a 3-2 win over #22 Santa Clara in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on November 30, 2001. Last season, the Spartans won 3-2 over the Rams in Spartan Gym including a similar 15-11 fifth-set score.
It took a total team effort as four Spartans recorded double-digit kills, three with double-digit digs and eight service aces. Fernanda Vido had a double-double in the match as she led all hitters with 18 kills and added 10 digs. Nandyala Gama had 15 kills, followed by Thaliana Grajeda with 13 kills and Laura Parts with 10.
Luiza Andrade and Jamie Hirai each recorded 20+ digs in the match as Andrade led everyone with 23 digs, her second consecutive 20+ dig match. Jamie Hirai tied her career high with 20 digs. Eight of the nine Spartans who played recorded at least one dig in the match.
Breann Robinson ran the offense as she collected 54 assists, seven digs, four kills and two solo blocks. She and Ryann Thomison led the Spartan blocking attack with three blocks each.
After falling 25-20 in the first set, the Spartans took control of the second set from the very first serve. The team led by as many as 10 points in the set (21-11) and won the set 25-19 on a Ram service error.
After the intermission, Colorado State four of the first seven points for a 4-3 lead and did not led San José State get any closer than four points at the end of the set (23-19) as the Rams on 25-19.
The fourth set was eerily similar to the second set as San José State took an early 6-5 lead and did not let the Rams take the lead again. Colorado tied the match at 18-18, but the Spartans scored seven of the final 10 points to win 25-21.
Despite Colorado State winning the serve for the fifth set, San Jose State got a kill from Parts to start the set and get the 1-0 lead. After the Rams tied the set at 2-2, the Spartans took control of set and match, never letting CSU get closer than two points as Vido put an exclamation on the upset with her 18th kill for the 15-11 win.
San José State is now 17-10 overall and 9-7 in the MW, while Colorado State falls to 25-3 overall and 15-1 in the MW. The Spartans play at Boise State on Wednesday, November 15, at 7:30 p.m. MT/6:30 p.m. PT. The team then hosts the final regular season match on Saturday, November 18, against Utah State at 2 p.m. PT.
Mountain West
San José State def. #19 Colorado State 3-2 (20-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-21, 15-11).
Kills - CS - Breana Runnels 15, Kirstie Hillyer 13, P. Hougaard-Jensen 11.
SJSU - Fernanda Vido 18, Nandyala Gama 15, Thaliana Grajeda 13, Laura Parts 10.
Records - Colorado State 25-2, 15-1; San José State 17-10, 9-7.
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