Reno, Nev.—The San José State volleyball team played its third five-set match of the early Mountain West season and fell at Nevada Tuesday night, 3-2, inside the Virginia Street Gym
The Spartans have played and lost three five-set matches of the five Mountain West contests played the past two-and-a-half weeks. The team lost at San Diego State on September 26 and at Utah State on October 3. SJSU is 1-4 in five-set matches this season, winning in comeback fashion against North Texas in early September.
Latahevai Lousi led the team with 15 kills and added three blocks, one solo and two assists. Two Spartans recorded double-doubles in the match – Haylee Nelson with 12 kills and a career-best 17 digs and Fernanda Vido with 11 kills and 11 digs.
San José State outblocked Nevada 13-10. Ryann Thomison led the Spartan blocking attack with seven – one solo and six block assists, followed by Thaliana Grajeda five block assists. Nelson and Mamie Garard each recorded four block assists and Lousi had three.
Sarah Smevog had 20 digs to lead the tam, while Makayla Lewis had a team-best three service aces. Garard recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 41 assists and 16 digs
The Spartans jumped out early, winning the first set 25-16. The Wolf Pack's last lead was at 7-6, and SJSU got four straight points while Lewis was serving to take an 11-7 lead and never let UNR back into the set.
The team continued on top in the second set, taking the lead from the first serve of the set and winning 25-18. SJSU scored the first three points of the set and led by as many as 10 at 24-14 on two Garard service aces and a Wolf Pack hitting error. The team won the set on a Lousi kill.
The third set started with the Spartans jumping out to a 3-1 lead before Nevada scored 15 of the next 22 points to take a 16-8 lead. The Spartans got as close as 17-16 and held off three Nevada set points before the Wolf Pack won 25-20.
Nevada led the fourth set from the first serve to win 25-15.
The fifth set showed promise for San José state as the team took an early 3-1 lead and expanded it to 5-2 on a block by Nelson and Thomison. SJSU's last lead was 8-7 on a Nelson kill, before Nevada tied the set t 8-8. The set was tied twice more at 9-9 and 10-10 before the Wolf Pack took the lead for good at 11-10 and won the set 15-13.
San José State is now 5-11 overall and 0-5 in the MW. The team returns to Spartan Gym for the next three matches, beginning this Saturday against Air Force at 2 p.m. SJSU hosts UNLV on the 17th and New Mexico on the 19th. Tickets are available for all matches at the door, located near the corner of Fourth and San Carlos Streets.
Nevada def. San José State 3-2 (16-25, 18-25, 25-20, 25-15, 15-13).
Kills – SJSU – Latahevai Lousi 15; NEV – Sydney Petersen 11.
Records – San José State 5-11, 0-5; Nevada 14-3, 4-1.
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