San Jose, Calif.—Four Spartans recorded double-digit kills, and the San José State volleyball team battled with Mountain West leader Fresno State Saturday afternoon before the Bulldogs won the match, 3-1 (27-29, 25-15, 27-25, 25-21) at Spartan Gym.
Haylee Nelson came off the bench to lead the Spartans in kills with a season-best 14 kills and hit .478 with 23 attempts and only three errors. Latahevai Lousi and Thaliana Grajeda each had 12 kills in the match, and Grajeda hit .458 (12-1-24) for the match. Ryann Thomison tied her career high with 10 kills and hit .346 (10-1-26).
The two teams battled from the first serve with 35 tie scores and 15 lead changes in the match. The first set had 11 tied scores and five lead changes, the final lead change coming at 28-27 as Thomison collected her only solo block of the match. Nelson recorded the final kill of the set to give SJSU the 29-27 lead.
SJSU jumped out to early 7-3 and 10-5 leads in set two. Fresno State then used a 10-5 run to take the lead for good at 15-14 and won the set 25-15.
Over the next two sets, the teams tied the score 10 times in each set. In the third set, the Bulldogs took a 13-9 lead but watched it evaporate as SJSU tied the match at 15-15. The Spartans fought of two Bulldog set points (24-23 and 25-24) before back-to-back Bulldog kills gave them the 27-25 win.
Tied at 10-10 in the fourth set, San Jose State scored five consecutive points to take a 15-10 lead. But the conference leaders did not give up and went on their own run to tie the match at 18-18. The two teams traded the lead before winning 25-21.
Thomison led the team with a career-best seven blocks, one solo and six assists, while Lousi added four block assists.
Defensively, Luiza Andrade recorded 23 digs for the second consecutive match. Caitlin Bettenay recorded 11 digs, while Fernanda Vido added nine digs.
.@sjsuvb head coach Jolene Shepardson talks about the Spartans play against MW leader Fresno State on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/DNb19x1bqR
— San Jose State Athletics (@SJSUAthletics) October 21, 2018
San José State is now 9-10 on the season and 4-6 in the MW. The Spartans go on the road next week for matches at Utah State on Thursday the 25th at 7 p.m. MT, and at Boise State on Saturday the 27th at 2 p.m. MT.
MW Match
Spartan Gym
Fresno State def. San José State – 27-29, 25-15, 27-25, 25-21.
Kills – FS – Taylor Slover 16, Aubrey Folk 14, Haile Watson 12, Kava Durr 11.
SJSU – Haylee Nelson 14, Latahevai Lousi 12, Thaliana Grajeda 12, Ryann Thomison 10.
Records – Fresno State 16-6, 8-1; San Jose State 9-10, 4-6.
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