Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Utah State
'Dogs Defeat Aggies
11/15/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
By: Dayna Hill
daynah@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno State volleyball team was victorious in a five set thriller against the Utah State Aggies.
Thanks to a 5-0 point run, the `Dogs took the first set, 25-19, from the Aggies who entered the match ranked sixth in the Mountain West standings. The `Dogs were able to take set two, 25-22, a match that had five tied scores and three lead changes. However, the Aggies fought back to take the next two sets, 25-22 and 25-12, forcing the teams into playing a fifth set. Fresno State owned set five 15-11 and the match beating Utah State 3-2.
"These young ladies have been working so hard and I am glad that it has finally paid off for them," Fresno State head coach Lauren Netherby-Sewell. "We stayed steady, played aggressively and earned one point at a time. I'm just so proud of how they played tonight. Utah State is always a good blocking team but our players made the adjustments and played fearlessly."
In the final team comparisons, Fresno State owned advantages in kills (58-48), aces (6-3), digs (70-62) and fewest service errors (1-8) and Utah State sported edges in hitting (.213-.137) and blocks (22-14). Individually for the `Dogs, senior outside hitter Jaimee-Lee Morrow and freshman Carly Scarbrough tied for most kills on the night. Morrow also added 17.5 points and 5 digs for the `Dogs.
Junior outside hitter Zana Bowens helped the team with 9 kills, 17 digs, 11.5 points and 3 assists. Senior Bulldog outside hitter Maci Murdock was aggressive at the net tonight with 10 kills, 12.5 points and 5 timely block assists.
"We have been improving every week defensively," said Netherby-Sewell. "It was nice to see them put it together tonight. At the start of the fifth set I told them that we were starting the game all over. It was going to be a race to 15, and we needed to focus on getting one point at a time."
Sophomore libero Maggie Eppright's 20 digs and seven assists carried the `Dogs in all 5 sets. With her 26 assists and 16 digs, junior setter Jelena Jovanovic posted her sixth double-double of the slate.
Utah State's top players in the final stats included Kaitlyn Vanhoff (16 kills, 9 block assists), Rachel Orr (15 kills, 13 digs) Rachel Gale (16 kills, 5 digs, 10 block assists), Hannah Gleason (14 digs) and Paige Neeves (49 digs, 11 digs).
In set one the `Dogs traded points with the Aggies. Neither team allowed the other to get more than a three point lead until the `Dogs went down 10-6. After a time out, the Bulldogs allowed the Aggies to go on a 4-0 run before a huge Murdock kill. The teams were tied at 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18 before the `Dogs pulled away lead by their defense to win set one, 25-19.
In set two started much like set one, with both teams consistently trading points. The `Dogs went on a 4-0 run closing the lead to one point, down 14-13. After an Aggie run, the `Dogs were able to tie the game 20-20. The `Dogs went on a 3-0 run before they were stopped by the Aggies making the score 23-21. The Bulldogs were able to score their last two points on back to back kills.
In set three and four the Aggies pressured the `Dogs with a new line up, big blocks and kills and were able to beat the `Dogs 25-22 and 25-12.
Set five was controlled by the `Dogs for all of one point of the set. Fresno State went on a 4-0 run, leading Utah State 10-6. The `Dogs were able to push through two Aggie timeout and end the match and the set on a block by Murdock and Scarbrough.
Looking ahead, Fresno State is back on the road with a match at Air Force (12-18, 6-10) on Wednesday Nov. 18 and will be back home for senior night against New Mexico (18-11, 10-6) on Friday, Nov. 21.
"Be Bold!" - Watch every Bulldog conference match online at www.GoBulldogs.com/videos.
