Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
San Diego State
`Dogs Cap Conference Opening Weekend at Aztecs
9/27/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
SAN DIEGO - The Fresno State volleyball team (5-11, 0-2) wrapped up its opening weekend of Mountain West play Saturday afternoon with a four-set battle at San Diego State (5-6, 1-0) at Peterson Gym.
The `Dogs won the third set, 25-22, while SDSU took the first two sets by 25-20, 25-17 scores, along with the finale, 25-23.
Individually for the `Dogs, junior outside hitter Zana Bowens logged her conference-leading eighth double-double of the season thanks to her 18 kills and 21 digs.
Overall in 2014, the Long Beach, Calif., native has now led the squad in the categories in 10 and six matches, respectively, and her .200 hitting total also paced the team for the fourth time this fall.
Freshman outside hitter Carly Scarbrough added 10 kills for her ninth double-digit tally of the year, and her three blocks was one shy of freshman Lauren Torres' team high (4). The latter freshman middle blocker from Visalia led the team in blocks for the third time the last five matches Saturday and fifth time overall in 2014.
Senior middle blocker Maci Murdock and senior outside hitter Jaimee-Lee Morrow added six kills each, and the latter's six digs was a season high.
In her sixth start of the season, sophomore setter Brooke Legaux added 31 assists and six digs.
Torres and Legaux each added an ace and led the team for the first and second times this season, respectively.
Sophomore libero Maggie Eppright ended with 11 digs - her 13th double-digit effort in 2014.
For SDSU, category leaders included Halle Aiken (16 kills, .316), Courtney Eckenrode (40 assists), Jensen Cunnigham (2 aces), Kaja Sandberg (5 blocks) and Alexa Saba (14 digs).
Team-wise, SDSU held edges in kills (51-48), hitting (.210-.116), aces (4-2), fewer service errors (8-9) and blocks (9-6), and Fresno State led in digs (56-47).
In the first set, San Diego State pushed out to a 6-1 lead, but the `Dogs fought back to within three points at 8-5 on a Bowens kill. Fresno State was able to stay within three points for most of the remainder and pulled within two points, 22-20, thanks a three-point run that included Bowens' fifth kill of the set. However, an Aztec kill and pair of `Dog attack errors sealed the 25-20 decision.
In the second set, the two teams tied five times through 7-7, before SDSU extended its lead to three points, 12-9. A subsequent Bowens kill - her fourth of the set - kept the deficit within three points at 16-13, but three- and four-point Aztec spurts helped close out the 25-17 decision.
In the third set, the `Dogs staked the first lead of more than one point by either team at 10-8. Scarbrough landed a pair of kills to push Fresno State's lead to 12-9, and another three-point Bulldog run made the score, 15-11, and force SDSU's first timeout of the match. The Aztecs answered with a five-point run to go back up, 17-15, but Fresno State battled back to an 18-17 advantage after three SDSU miscues. The teams stayed one point of each other until a block by Scarbrough and SDSU attack long gave Fresno State a 23-21 lead. Another long Aztec attempt and a Murdock kill off an overpass cinched the decision for the Bulldogs, 25-22.
In the fourth set, an early 6-1 Aztec run gave them a 9-4 lead, and another four-point burst made it 14-6. SDSU soon upped its lead to 17-11, but the 'Dogs fought back to tie it 22-22 thanks to three kills by Jovanovic and two by Bowens. However, San Diego State used a pair of kills and a bad Bulldog set to later pull out the period, 25-23.
Fresno State ended the week with a 1-2 mark after it swept cross-town rival Fresno Pacific in an exhibition match on Tuesday. Murdock posted 15 kills and four blocks and hit .464 vs. the Sunbirds, while Bowens and Scarbrough added 12 and 11 kills, respectively.
On Thursday, UNLV edged Fresno State, 3-0, after the `Dogs won in similar fashion in Las Vegas in 2013.
After two conference matches, Bowens leads the team in kills (3.57), digs (3.71) and aces (0.14), while her season averages follow: 3.13 kills p/s, 2.93 digs p/s, 0.44 aces p/s.
Looking ahead, Fresno State returns home to host Nevada and San Jose State on Thursday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m., respectively. Saturday's match will offer free admission to fans that wear their event shirts from the Step Up For Down's Syndrome and Wiggle Waggle Walk charity events earlier Saturday morning.
"Be Bold!" - Watch every Bulldog conference match online at www.GoBulldogs.com/videos.
