Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Utah State women's volleyball lost a three-set decision to Utah on Saturday night, losing 25-22, 25-15 and 26-24. The loss leaves the Aggies at 5-6 on the year, while Utah moved to 9-2 with the victory.

Senior outside Kaylie Kamalu-Smith and junior right side Kayla DeCoursey led the Utah State attack with 10 kills apiece, as Utah State finished the match hitting .178 (35-14-118). Sophomore middle Lauren O'Brien was just behind with eight kills and tied for the team lead with three blocks, matching Kamalu-Smith and junior middle Carly Lenzen.

Kamalu-Smith also recorded her first double-double of the season, finishing with 10 digs, second to senior libero Hannah Gleason with a team-best 13.

Utah State recorded the opening points in the first set behind kills by DeCoursey and Kamalu-Smith and continued to lead to the 11-8 mark. Utah then put together a six-point run, taking a 14-11 advantage and prompting an Aggie timeout. USU fought back to tie the match at 19-19 on a DeCoursey kill, but the Utes broke the deadlock with a 5-2 run to take set point at 24-21. Another kill by DeCoursey extended the set, 24-22, until a closing kill by Utah ended it, 25-22.

Utah State had to fight from behind through most of the second set, pulling to within one, 15-14, on a kill by Lauren O'Brien, leading to a Utah timeout. The Utes then used an 8-0 run coming out of the break to take a 23-14 lead and carried the momentum into a 25-15 victory, taking a 2-0 lead into the break.

The teams played through eight ties early in the third set, leading up to a 12-12 deadlock. Utah State broke the tie and took a 16-12 lead as part of a five-point run that included a pair of kills from Kamalu-Smith and a block and kill from Lenzen. Utah came back and tied the match at 23-23 and then took its first match point at 24-23 as part of a three-point run. A Utah error squared the match at 24-24, but back-to-back kills by the Utes wrapped up the match, 26-24.

Utah finished the match hitting .290 (57-19-131) and was led by junior outside Adora Anae with team bests of 17 kills and 16 digs.

Utah State will now turn its attention to conference play, opening its Mountain West slate on the road next week, facing Nevada in Reno on Sept. 22, and San Diego State on Sept. 24.

Fans can follow the Aggie volleyball program on Twitter @USUVolleyball, on Facebook at USUVolleyball or on Instagram at @usuvolleyball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program at @USUAthletics, on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics or on Instagram at @USUAthletics.

-USU-