Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
New Mexico State
Regular Season Comes to an End in Las Cruces
11/11/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 11, 2007
LAS CRUCES, N.M. - In their first meeting in nearly two months, the Fresno State Bulldogs started strong against the host Aggies of New Mexico State in the final regular season match of the 2007 season, but the No. 13 team in the country was just too much in the end for the visitors. The Aggies won in three, with games scores of 20-30, 18-30 and 16-30.
After an early 2-0 lead for the Aggies to start the match, the Bulldogs earned their first lead at 4-3 and tied the game on three separate occasions. Fresno State looked good early and was down by just three at 18-15 when New Mexico State went on a 12-5 run to finish game one.
Lacey Gera, Lexi Watson and Tairyn Rasmussen had two kills each to lead the `Dogs in the opening game. Sophomore Krista Altermatt was a perfect 6-for-6 hitting for the Aggies.
The Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead in game two. Then the Aggies took the lead at 3-1. A Kelly Mason ace tied it at 3-3. Stellar serving by NMSU libero Krystal Torres gave the Aggies a 12-point advantage at 15-3. Torres had three service aces in that stretch. A kill by Watson broke the Aggies impressive streak, but NMSU could never be caught.
A service ace by the Aggies gave Fresno State the early 1-0 lead out of the locker room in game three. Tied at 6-6, the Aggies went on a 6-0 run to open up a lead they would never surrender.
Watson and senior Alisha McKee led the Bulldogs with six kills each. With 32 total attempts tonight, McKee now has 2,470 in her career as a Bulldog which ties her for 10th all-time in school history with Lesli Lopes (1986-89). McKee is also just 11 kills away from 300 in her career.
Fortunately for the Bulldogs, tonight's loss does not change their seeding for next week's WAC Tournament. With a 3-1 loss to Idaho last night, Boise State drops to the eighth seed and Fresno State locked up the seventh seed. The Bulldogs will play the No. 2 seed New Mexico State on Thursday. No. 10 Hawai'i locked up the No. 1 seed and will play the winner of the play-in game between the Broncos and Louisiana Tech. Idaho is the fifth seed and the sixth seed is San Jose State.
The third and fourth seeds are still to be determined. If Utah State defeats Hawai'i tonight it will earn the third seed and Nevada will be fourth. If Utah State falls to Hawai'i, then their will be a draw for the third and fourth seeds on Monday.
Fresno State finished the regular season with a 5-22 overall record and 3-13 in WAC play. New Mexico State finished at 24-4 overall and 14-2 in the conference.
"Join the State - Fresno State!" - The Bulldogs will take on No. 13 New Mexico State in the first round of the WAC Volleyball Tournament which begins on Thursday, November 15 in Las Cruces, New Mexico and concludes with the championship game on Saturday, November 17. Follow all the action at www.gobulldogs.com.
