Davis, Calif.— The Spartans top-four hitters on the day hit at least .333 or better as San José State def. Montana, 3-0, Saturday afternoon at the Aggie Invitational hosted by UC Davis.
Caitlin Bettenay led the team in kills with 11 as she hit .391 for the match (11-2-23). She also recorded the first Spartan double-double of the season with a team-high 13 digs.
Thaliana Grajeda and Ryann Thomison each hit .692 to lead the Spartans. Each had nine kills on 13 attempts and no errors. Haylee Nelson hit .333 for the match with 8 kills on 15 attempts and three errors. Grajeda and Taumafa Tuinauvai each had four blocks to lead SJSU.
The Spartans never trailed in the first two sets, winning 25-21 and 25-15. Thomison recorded the set-winning point with a kill in both sets.
The third set was closer, with six ties and three lead changes, the last coming at 21-20 when San José State took the lead for good on a Bettenay kill. Nelson closed out the match with her eighth kill to five SJSU the 25-22 win and the team's first win of 2019.
Freshman Drae Fresenius made her debut in a Spartan uniform. She played in the three sets, recording nine assists, a team-best three service aces and two digs.
San José State is now 1-2 on the season and plays next week at the Share SLO Mustang Challenge. The team plays Wichita State on Thursday at 4 p.m., North Texas on Friday at 4 p.m., and Cal Poly on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Aggie Invitational
San José State def. Montana 3-0 (25-21, 25-15, 25-22).
Kills – SJSU – Caitlin Bettenay 11; MONT – Janna Grimsrud, Amethyst Harper 7.
Records – San José State 1-2; Montana 0-3.
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