Aztecs Sweep UNLV for Sixth Consecutive Victory

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State volleyball team employed pair of timely runs in the second and third sets on Saturday to sweep UNLV (25-21, 27-25, 25-21) in a Mountain West match at Aztec Court at Peterson Gym.

With the victory, the Aztecs (11-6) won their sixth straight and maintain a share of first place in the conference standings with Utah State at 6-0 in MW competition, while the Rebels (8-8) lost their third in a row, falling to 2-4 in league play.

In addition, SDSU’s 6-0 record in the MW marks its best start to a conference schedule since 1995, when the Aztecs went 8-0 en route to winning the Western Athletic Conference regular-season title with a 13-1 mark.

UNLV posted a greater hitting percentage (.180 to .108) and held the upper hand in team blocks (11.0 to 6.0); however, SDSU offset those deficiencies with a slight 35-34 edge kills and a 10-3 advantage in aces while benefiting from 11 Rebel service errors to secure the win.

Taylor Underwood was the lone Aztec player to reach double digits in kills, tying for match-high honors with 10 put-aways, while Madison Corf launched six non-returnables of her own. In addition, the Scarlet and Black received five kills apiece from Natalie Hughes and Amber Keen, the latter of whom supplied three blocks, including a solo stop.

The Aztec cause was also aided by Ella Schabort (4 kills), who tied her career-best with four aces, while Corf served up three of her own, followed by Zara Stewart and Kendall Mairs, who finished with two apiece.

Mairs logged her fifth double-double of the year with a match-high 17 assists and a career-best 17 digs, sharing the setting chores with Bella Jones, who dished out 10 helpers while collecting six digs of her own.

After capturing the opening frame, SDSU faced a 24-19 deficit in the second stanza, as UNLV needed just one point to even the match at one set apiece following consecutive kills by Basia Latos and Alondra Alarcon. However, the Aztecs’ fortunes changed dramatically when the host school fashioned an improbable 8-1 run to escape.

The Rebels left the proverbial door open for an SDSU rally thanks to a service error and a wayward attack. Corf then followed with back-to-back kills, which narrowed the gap to 24-23. After an unsuccessful coach’s challenge, Schabort promptly served up two aces, vaulting the Scarlet and Black into the lead at 25-24. UNLV temporarily stopped the hemorrhaging with a kill by Alarcon, knotting the score at 25-25.

With momentum on their side, however, the Aztecs rode the arm of Underwood, who launched two straight put-aways to complete the comeback and give SDSU a commanding 2-0 lead on the set scoreboard.

The teams combined for seven ties and four lead changes in another closely contested battle during the third frame. The Rebels owned a 15-12 advantage in kills and posted a team block, but the Scarlet and Black spun four aces and benefited from three UNLV service errors to help secure the sweep.

The Aztecs’ balance was on full display in the set, as Keen, Schabort, Underwood and Hughes floored two shots apiece, while Mairs and Corf each served up a pair of aces.

SDSU led by as many as four points after a Schabort kill and a Rebel setting error gave the hosts an 11-7 lead. UNLV responded with an 11-4 surge, highlighted by Jaida Harris’ four kills, while Alarcon and Rheanna Deen-Jackson combined on a block to help give the visitors an 18-15 edge.

Undaunted, the Aztecs answered with another opportunistic run, closing with a strong 10-3 blitz to finish the match. The Rebels self-destructed with three wayward attacks down the stretch, along with a ball-handling error and an errant serve, the latter of which provided the clinching point for the Scarlet and Black.  Not to be outdone, Keen knocked down two kills in that span, while Underwood and Hughes each recorded a termination as well.

 Alarcon tied SDSU’s Underwood with 10 kills for the day, while Deen-Jackson led all players with eight blocks in the loss, including a solo stop.

The two sides witnessed five ties in the first set, including a 14-14 deadlock, before a Hughes kill and a Corf ace put the Aztecs in front for good. SDSU stretched the margin to five shortly thereafter when Underwood’s put-away gave the hosts a 22-17 advantage.

UNLV narrowed the gap to 23-21 fafter a Basia Latos kill and an Aztec attack error. However, Corf floored a shot on the ensuing serve, while the Rebels followed with an errant attack for SDSU’s clinching point of the frame.

San Diego State wraps up its homestand on Thursday, Oct. 16, when it locks horns with Grand Canyon in the first Mountain West meeting between the two programs. First serve is set for 6 p.m. PT.