Fresno, Calif.—Haylee Nelson, Latahevai Lousi and Mia Schafer each had double-double, but the San José State University volleyball team could not hold off Fresno State Friday night in a 3-2 loss at the Save Mart Center.
Nelson led the Spartan hitting attack with 15 kills and added a career-best 21 digs. Lousi made it an even 14 kills and 14 digs, while Schafer had 22 assists and 10 digs.
Makayla Lewis added 13 kills as she led the team in hitting at .417 (13-3-24). Ryann Thomison added eight kills and hit .333 for the match. Whitney Barnes added nine kills to the Spartan attack and recorded seven digs.
For the first time since the 2017 season, two Spartans collected 20 or more digs in a match. Nelson had her career-best 21 digs, while Sarah Smevog had 20 digs, her third match this season with 20 or more digs. The last two Spartans to have 20+ digs in a match was Luiza Andrade (23) and Jamie Hirai (20) in the five-set up of #19 Colorado State at home on November 11, 2017.
The Spartans recorded a season-best eight service aces in the match, led by Yazmin Pitpit who had a career-best three. Mamie Keith Garard added two aces, and Lousi, Nelson and Smevog each had one.
However, the Spartans were outblocked in the match 11-4. Thomison accounted for three of the four blocks with one solo and two assists, while Nelson recorded two block assists. Allyson Alden and Lousi each had one block for SJSU.
Set 1 – San José State jumped out to an early 9-4 lead on four consecutive kills – Barnes-Thomison-Nelson-Barnes. The Spartans maintained the lead at 17-15 before Fresno State scored five of the next six points to take a 20-18 lead. The Spartans tied the match at 20-2 and 21-21 before four consecutive points gave Fresno State at 25-21 win.
Set 2 – The Spartans won the second set 25-18, leading for most of the season as by as seven four times including the final score.
Set 3 – The two teams battled in the third set as Fresno State took the early control of the set. The Spartans kept it close and took the team's first lead of the set at 19-18 on one of Pitpit's service aces. The Bulldogs had set point at 24-23, but committed a service error to tie the set at 24-24. San José State had set point at 25-24, 26-25 and 27-26 before a Nelson and Alden block gave the Spartans the 28-26 win.
Set 4 – The Spartans took a 15-14 lead in the set on a Lousi kill and forced a Fresno State time out. The team had outscored the Bulldogs 5-1 to take the lead. However, Fresno State used a 4-0 run to lead 18-15 and won the set 25-20.
Set 5 – Fresno State led the set from first serve en route to the 15-9 win. The Spartans hit -.042 for the set (4-5-24).
San José State will be on a bye next week before returning to Spartan Gym for matches against Nevada on Friday and Saturday, March 5 and 6, at 1 p.m. each day.
Fresno State def. San José State – 3-2 (25-21, 18-25, 26-28, 25-20, 15-9).
Kills – SJSU – Haylee Nelson 15; Latahevai Lousi 14; Makayla Lewis 13.
FS – Desiree Sukhov 22; Gracy Douyle 10.
Records – San José State 1-5, 1-5; Fresno State 3-1, 3-1.
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