Box Score

FRESNO, Calif. - Utah State volleyball split its season results with Fresno State when the Aggies lost, 3-1, on the road Thursday night. With the loss, USU is now 12-9 on the season and 4-5 in the Mountain West, while the Bulldogs moved to 9-12 overall and 4-5 in league play.

Senior outside Lauren Anderson recorded her ninth double-double of the season with a team-best-tying 14 kills and added 12 digs. Senior opposite Kayla DeCoursey matched the 14 kills, hitting a team-best .353 (14-2-34), and junior libero Tasia Taylor led the USU back row with 14 digs. Anderson also led the way for the Utah State block, recording a career-high six, matching junior middle Lauren O'Brien.

Overall, Utah State hit .163 (46-24-135) during the night to Fresno State's .255 (58-23-137).

Utah State opened the match with a kill by Rachel Gale-Hammond, but quickly fell behind following a seven-point run by Fresno State. The Aggies chipped away and came to within one on three different occasions, but another five-point run by the Bulldogs extended a 12-11 lead by the home side into a 17-12 lead. Fresno State maintained the advantage down the stretch and captured the first set, 25-17.

Utah State used a five-point run of its own in the second set to overcome a 4-2 deficit and take a 7-4 lead. The Aggies never looked back from there, hitting .379 (14-3-29) during the frame and squaring the match at 1-1 with a 25-18 victory.

Fresno State broke a 5-5 deadlock in the third set with an 11-1 run, taking a double-digit lead (16-6). Utah State was able to counter late and tied the match at 23-23, capped by a four-point run made up of and ace by Gale-Hammond and kills by Gale-Hammond, DeCoursey and freshman middle Bailey Downing. The Bulldogs broke the tie with back-to-back points, taking the set 25-23.

The teams played through four ties in the fourth set, leading up to a 15-15 deadlock midway through the frame. The Bulldogs broke the tie and took an 18-15 lead following a three-point run, and then closed the match out with a 7-2 run, leading to the 25-17 final.

Fresno State had a trio of players with double-digit kills in junior outside Taylor Slover, junior outside Brielle Hefner and junior outside Aubrey Folk with 15, 13 and 13, respectively. Senior libero Jacque Hutcheson led all defensive players with a match-high 24 digs.

Utah State will remain on the road for its next match, facing San Diego State on Saturday at 2 p.m. (MT). The contest will cap a three-match road swing for the Aggies.

Fans can also 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.

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