Oct. 31, 2009

Box Score | Photo Gallery

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State's women's volleyball team dropped a three-set match (31-29, 25-16, 25-21) to New Mexico State here Saturday night to fall to 13-12 on the season and 4-8 in Western Athletic Conference play. NMSU improved to 14-8 overall and 9-3 in league play with the win.

Junior middle blocker Danielle Taylor (Springville, Utah) came off the bench to lead Utah State with eight kills and finished the match with a .412 (8-1-17) hitting percentage. Junior setter Chelsea Fowles (Hollister, Calif.) added five kills and 11 digs, and hit .556 (5-0-9) for USU.

Kayleight Giddens had 17 kills to lead New Mexico State and Kelsi Phillips added 21 digs.

Utah State opened the match by scoring the first three points and led 10-7 before New Mexico State went on a 5-0 run to take a 12-10 lead. NMSU extended its advantage to four points on several occasions and led 23-19 before USU went on a 5-0 run to regain the lead. USU then had six chances to end the set but the New Mags sided-out at every set-point before eventually scoring three straight points to notch the win. USU hit .091 (13-8-55) in the first set, while NMSU hit .167 (19-10-54).

New Mexico State controlled set two as it hit .333 (16-3-39) and coasted to the nine-point win as it limited Utah State to a .028 (9-8-36) hitting percentage. In the third and final set, NMSU broke an 8-8 tie by scoring four of the next five points and never looked back as it went on to the four-point win. NMSU hit .235 (12-4-34) in the third set as compared to a .043 (13-11-46) hitting percentage for USU.

Utah State finished the match with a .058 (35-27-137) hitting percentage and New Mexico State hit .236 (47-17-127). NMSU also had five more team blocks (10-5) and five more digs (57-52) in the match, while USU had two more service aces (6-4) and four fewer service errors (6-2).

Utah State will return to action on Thursday, Nov. 5 when it plays at San Jose State at 8 p.m. (MT).