The Utah State University (USU) volleyball team has followed a frightening pattern of five-set-long games. This has been the sixth consecutive game in which the Aggies have gone five sets. USU fell behind at the beginning of the match, losing the first two sets, and threatened to lose the game. They were close to losing their third after their first two matches of their Mountain West games.
Once they made some changes, the Aggies found their way with their backs up against a wall and fought back. In sets 3- 5, USU took quick leads and performed a spectacular comeback defeating San Diego State. The set scoring from the Aztec Court was 21-25, 23-25, 27-25, 25-18, 15-12.
Sets One And Two
The night we started with the Aggies showing the first signs of controlling the game. They came out with a 4-1 lead when San Diego State retaliated on a 4-0 run, taking the lead for themselves. The rubber band sprung on the scoreboard, with the Aggies making a run of their own, 4-0, taking back the lead. However, the Aztecs went on a scoring stretch of 10-4, which the Aggies couldn’t recover from. The first set ended 21-25 in favor of the Aztecs.
Starting the second set, the Aggie’s strong start took the lead before the Aztecs rallied back, scoring 10-7. USU counted with three unanswered points of their own, tying the game. Try as they might, the Aggies could never take the lead as they were behind by five several times. It continued until the score came to 23-18. The Aggies still had some fight left in them as they answered with five straight points, bringing the score 23-23. Things were looking up until the Aztecs scored two in a row, taking the set.
Three And Four With One More
USU, down by two sets, came back in greater control as a team scoring the first points. For most of the set, the Aggies lead as much as four for much of the set. The SDSU showed what they could do and tied the set at 24. With the game on the line, freshman Delaney Lawson took it to the Aztecs with a pair of kills, keeping the Aggies alive and winning the set.
Now that they had control at the beginning of the fourth set, the Aggies came out with an 11-2 run. The Aggies continued to lead by ten when the score was 18-8 when SDSU started to fight back. They trimmed the score within five when junior Tierney Barlow and freshman Andrea Simovski got an ace and kill, forcing a fifth set with 25-18.
Once again, the Aggies started well, 3-0, before a 5-0 run from San Diego, putting the Aggies on the heels. USU answered strong with a 6-2 run with a masterful pair of kills from senior Kaylie Ray. It was Simovski who impressed upon the Aztecs with a kill when Senior Adna Mehmedovic made the last kill, ending the game with a 15-12 win to USU.
A Joyful Victory
Head Coach Rob Neilson expressed about the USU’s miraculous comeback, “It brings me so much joy to see our hard work. Those seven five-set matches helped us get the reps our young group needs to see their potential at a high level.” He was proud to witness the women’s improvement in their volleyball tactics while under pressure.
Utah State remains on the road to take on UNLV (8-5, 1-1 MW) on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 2 p.m. The Rebels fell at Air Force, 3-1, on Thursday. Utah State University will not participate in its scheduled October 23, 2024, volleyball match at San Jose State University. The University will abide by Mountain West Conference policy regarding how this match is recorded.
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