Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Boise State
Bulldogs Wrap Mountain Swing at Broncos
10/18/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Box Score BOISE, Idaho - Wrapping up its seventh road trip among the season's first eight weeks, the Fresno State volleyball team (6-16, 1-7) capped its fourth week of MW play at Boise State (12-8, 5-3) Saturday at Bronco Gym.
The Bulldogs were edged by 25-14 counts in all three sets for the first straight-set tilt between the teams since 2006. In the previous 13 meetings since then, the two teams had played 11 five-setters (with FS owning a 7-4 edge), and the teams split the other four-set tilts.
Team-wise, Boise State held edges Saturday in kills (53-29), hitting (.603-.162), assists (46-28), blocks (9-1), fewest service errors (2-4) and digs (30-17), while Fresno State owned an edge in aces (3-1).
For the match, freshman hitter Carly Scarbrough led the `Dogs in kills (7) and hitting (.250) for the eighth and fourth times among her 22 matches this season.
The Sarasota, Fla., native also shared the team lead in points (7) with junior outside hitter Zana Bowens after the latter player landed six kills, and tied for the team lead in digs (4) with sophomore libero Maggie Eppright.
Bowens added an ace to up her season total to 31 - a category that she led the Mountain West Conference in this week.
At the service line, senior outside hitter Jaimee-Lee Morrow and Eppright posted their fifth and 12th aces of the campaign, respectively.
For the Broncos, individual statistical leaders include Sierra Nobley (19 kills, .586, 5 digs, 20 points), Maddy O'Donnell (14 kills, .778, 4 blocks, 16 points), Alyssa Gammel (1 ace) and Sarah Baugh (4 blocks).
In the first set, the Bulldogs hung within one point through, 8-7, after a Scarbrough kill. Boise State, however, followed with a four-point run that made the score, 12-7, and another five-point burst pushed its lead to 17-9. After kills by Morrow and Murdock, Boise State added another four-point stretch that resulted in a 21-11 lead, en route to a 25-14 decision that featured two of Bowens' three kills among the set's latter points.
In the second set, Boise State jumped out to a 5-0 lead before a pair of Murdock kills pulled the `Dogs within 6-2. A subsequent five-point stretch upped Boise State's lead to 18-7, but Morrow keyed a three-point response with a kill and an ace to pull Fresno State within, 18-10. A Brubaker kill, as well as back-to-back kills by redshirt junior Molly Pearson, drew Fresno State within 22-13. However, Boise State closed the period with three of the set's final four points.
In the final period, the Bulldogs hung within 2-4 points the first half of the set, including a 14-12 deficit on Eppright's ace. However, Boise State answered with a seven-point stretch that pushed its advantage to 21-12. Bowens and Scarbrough provided the Bulldog's final points on their third and fourth kills of the set.
Looking ahead, Fresno State returns home for matches vs. San Diego State and UNLV on Thursday (7 p.m.) and Saturday (4 p.m.).
Thursday's contest vs. the Aztecs is Staff and Faculty Appreciation night as all Fresno State employees will get free admission with valid campus staff ID's. Saturday's promotion is International Night as Fresno State's diverse campus community will be honored during several mid-match events.
"Be Bold!" - Watch every Bulldog conference match online at www.GoBulldogs.com/videos.
