Bulldogs have most wins in 15 years after 5-set victory at New Mexico

Thursday, November 8

Albuquerque, N.M.

6 P.M. PT

Fresno State

19-8, 11-3MW

New Mexico

14-13, 8-7MW

Fresno State

New Mexico

Bulldogs have most wins in 15 years after 5-set victory at New Mexico

11/8/2018 10:15:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Andrew Tomsky / Assistant Director of Communications

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Four Bulldogs had double-digit kills and Taylor Slover and Madelyn Halteman both recorded double-doubles as Fresno State outhit New Mexio .245-.098 and outlasted the Lobos, 3-2 (26-28, 25-19, 25-20, 23-25, 15-7) on Thursday night in Albuquerque.

With the win Fresno State (19-8, 11-3 MW) has its most victories in a season since the 2003 team finished 21-7. The 11 MW wins also tie the program record for conference wins in a season, and at 6-2 in road MW matches the 'Dogs have a new program record for road MW victories. Fresno State beat New Mexico (14-13, 8-7 MW) for the second time this season and won in Albuquerque for the first time since 2012.

Slover had her 14^th double-double of the season with 16 kills and a career-high 22 digs. Halteman tallied 52 assists and 10 digs for her sixth double-double of the year. Freshman Kava Durr finished one kill shy of her career high as she hit .353 with 14 kills while Jessica Gilbert hit .429 with 13 kills and four blocks. New Mexico native Aubrey Folk added 12 kills and Haile Watson had a match-high six blocks.

How it Happened
There were 13 ties and five lead changes in a tight first set. Fresno State had a 6-0 run early to take an 8-3 lead but the Lobos pulled back even at 13-13 and neither team led by more than three points for the remainder of the set. The 'Dogs trailed 24-22 before saving two set points and getting one of their own at 25-24. The Lobos saved that set point and another at 26-25, scoring three straight to end the set winning 28-26.

Gilbert, Durr, and Folk each had four kills in the second set as the 'Dogs hit .303 in the period to even the match. Fresno State had a 5-0 run after New Mexico led 4-3, moving ahead 8-4 and never trailing again. The 'Dogs led 17-9 and the Lobos got back within a 23-19 deficit before a block by Gilbert and a New Mexico attack error closed it (watch).

Fresno State held New Mexico to just seven kills and a .054 hitting percentage in the third set. The Bulldogs jumped to an 8-2 lead but the Lobos battled back and eventually pulled even at 17-17. A 4-0 run put the 'Dogs ahead 21-17 and the visitors led 24-19 before converting on their second shot at set point with a kill from Gilbert (watch).

The fourth set was at lot like the first as there were 14 ties and seven lead changes. One difference was the Lobos getting off to a good start, taking a 5-1 lead, before the 'Dogs came even at 10-10. Neither team led by more than two points for the remainder of the set as it was tied at every point after 14. With the score 23-23, the Lobos were able to string together consecutive kills to force the fifth.

It was all Fresno State in set five as the 'Dogs hit .526 with 11 kills and just one error and New Mexico hit -.048 with three kills and four errors. Fresno State led 5-4 before a 5-0 run extended the lead to 10-4. Watson hit a perfect 1.000 in the set with four kills in four swings, the last of which clinched the match for the Bulldogs (watch).

Notes

Fresno State improved to 16-0 this season when winning the third set. The 'Dogs are 10-0 when winning the third set in a match that goes at least four sets.
In addition to having four players with double-digit kills the 'Dogs also had four with double-digit digs as Emily Dzubak had 16 and Reagan Leonard had 15 along with the double-digit totals from Slover and Halteman.
Slover's 14 double-doubles are the most by a Bulldog in a season since Zana Bowens had 15 double-doubles in 2014.
With a 13.0-11.0 edge in blocks Fresno State had the same of more blocks than its opponent for the 20^th time in 26 matches this year, improving to 18-2 in those 20 matches.
First-year head coach Jonathan Winder is two victories shy of the program record for wins by a first-year coach. Lindy Vivas won 21 matches in her first season in 1991.

What's Next
Fresno State plays its final road match of the regular season at UNLV on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Rebels are 19-8 overall and 10-5 in the MW after sweeping San Diego State on Thursday. UNLV is alone in third place in the league behind the Bulldogs and is 11-3 at home this season, but the 'Dogs had a 3-1 home win over the Rebels earlier this year.

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