Logan, Utah—Five Spartan hitters recorded 10 or more kills Thursday night at Utah State, but San José State could not overcome 56 hitting errors in a 3-2 loss to the Aggies at Kirby Court.
Haylee Nelson led the team with 17 kills, followed by Latahevai Lousi with 16, Makayla Lewis and Fernanda Vido each with 12 and Laura Parts with 11. Vido recorded her first double-double of the season and 13th of her career with 16 digs to go with her 12 kills.
Sarah Smevog recorded a career-best 35 digs in the match.
Drae Fresenius recorded her third consecutive double-double with 36 assists and 12 digs. Mamie Garard added 28 assists and seven digs for SJSU.
San José State hit .095 for the match with 77 kills on 221 attempts and 56 hitting errors. The team did not hit better than .191 in any set.
The Spartans had to come from behind to win the first set 25-23. The team trailed 19-13 on a Nelson service error and rallied to score 12 of the next 16 points to win the set.
The two teams battled again in the second set with Utah State jumping out to an 18-13 lead. But SJSU rallied again, fighting off two Aggie set points to tie the set at 24-24. A Lousi kill and Vido service ace gave San José State the 28-26 set win.
Utah State won the next two sets 25-21 and 26-24 to send the match to a fifth set. The Spartans had set point at 24-23 on a Lousi kill, but the Aggies block came through to tie the set at 24-24 and win with a service ace and Spartan attack error.
In the fifth set, the two teams traded the lead before SJSU took a 13-11 lead. Utah State then scored the next four points to win 15-13 and take the match 3-2.
San José State is now 5-9 on the season and 0-3 in Mountain West play. The team plays at Boise State Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. MT/1 p.m. PT.
Utah State def. San José State – 23-25, 26-28, 25-21, 26-24, 15-13.
Kills – SJSU – Haylee Nelson 17; USU - Whitney Solosabal.
Records – San José State 5-9, 0-3; Utah State 1-14, 1-2.
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