Box Score
LOGAN, Utah - Utah State volleyball posted a three-set (25-23, 25-19, 25-22) victory over Nevada at home on Saturday night. With the victory, USU moved to a record of 5-18 overall, including 3-9 in Mountain West action, while Nevada dropped to 8-15 and 1-11 in conference play.
"It was nice to get on the right side of the ledger," head coach Grayson DuBose said after the match. "We've been so close the last few matches, so it was fun to push through it a little and when there was some adversity to stay composed."
Sophomore outside Gabbi Shumway led the Aggies in kills with 12 to mark the third-straight game she's played where she has had double-digit kills. Freshman outside Whitney Solosabal tacked on eight kills, while sophomore opposite Bailey Downing recorded seven.
Senior setter Kassidy Johnson and senior middle Lauren O'Brien led the team with four block assists each. Senior libero Tasia Taylor recorded 20 digs, marking back-to-back matches with 20 or more digs. Johnson led the attack for the Aggies with 28 of the 34 assists as the Aggies hit .183 (36-19-93). Four Aggies recorded one service ace in the match.
Utah State and Nevada stayed neck-and-neck throughout the first set, with 14 ties and three lead changes. The final tie of the set came at 21-21, which was followed by back-to-back points for USU. A kill from Shumway put the Aggies at set point, 24-22, but Nevada responded with a kill to bring it within one. Downing clinched the set with a kill for the 25-23 USU win.
Utah State led the majority of the second set, jumping out to an early 7-3 lead. The Aggies maintained the lead early in the set, leading 17-14 after a Shumway kill. Nevada responded with a 3-0 run for the sole tie of the set, 17-17. The Aggies turned around with a 4-0 run of their own, capped off with a kill by freshman middle Corinne Larsen, for the 21-17 lead. Nevada would score the next two points, but Utah State closed out the set with four-straight points to secure the 25-19 second set victory.
The third set was congested early with five ties before USU broke out of a 7-7 deadlock for good. After taking an 8-7 lead off of a Nevada service error, the Aggies would never trail again. The Wolf Pack came within one, 12-11, but Utah State scored the next four points to lead 16-11. Nevada responded with a 4-0 run of their own and after back-to-back kills were again within one, 16-15. USU took its largest lead of the night, 22-16, after a service ace from Taylor and a Nevada error. The Wolf Pack then came back within three, 22-19. A Shumway kill put the Aggies at match point, 24-19. Nevada kept the match alive after scoring the next three points, but an attacking error by the Wolf Pack gave Utah State the 25-22 third set win.
Nevada junior outside Camryn Rocha led the Wolf Pack with 12 kills. A pair of Wolf Pack setters logged double-digit assists as junior Dalyn Burns recorded 19, while sophomore McKayla Wuensch had 15. Sophomore outside Kayla Afoa led Nevada defensively, logging nine digs, and junior middle Shiloh Peleras led the team with five block assists. Senior libero Mo Maluotoga posted Nevada's only service ace of the night.
Utah State will now travel to a pair of road matches starting at San Diego State on Thursday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m. (MT). The Aggies then head to Fresno State on Saturday, Nov. 3, at 2 p.m. Fans can follow both matches via live stat and live video links on the volleyball schedule page online at www.utahstateaggies.com.
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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