LOGAN, Utah - Utah State volleyball came back from a two-set deficit to force a decisive fifth set, but came up short in the final set and lost to the San Diego State Aztecs at home on Saturday afternoon. The loss drops the Aggies to 3-14 on the year and 1-5 in the Mountain West, while SDSU picked up its fourth consecutive win to move to 5-14 overall and 3-3 in league play.

Senior setter Kassidy Johnson recorded her ninth double-double of the season with 43 assists and 18 digs, surpassing 2,000 assists in her career and moving to No. 8 all-time in Utah State history with 2,031. Johnson also added three kills, hitting .600 (3-0-5) and added three blocks and one service ace.

Sophomore outside Bailey Downing led the Utah State attack with 16 kills, while senior libero Tasia Taylor led the Utah State back row with 22 digs. Freshman Whitney Solosabal provided a spark off of the bench after entering the rotation in the third set, finishing the match with career highs of nine kills and 13 digs, and hitting .333 (9-1-24), best among USU hitters.

"She came in a played great and did a really nice job," head coach Grayson DuBose said of Solosabal's performance. "She dug a bunch, hit for a good percentage, served well and I thought she did a lot of good things. I was happy for her."

Utah State's block finished in double figures for the second consecutive match and fourth time in the last six matches with 10.0, led by senior middle Lauren O'Brien with a team-best eight.

San Diego State opened the match with a quick 25-13 victory in the first set after hitting .682 (16-1-22) and using a 10-1 run to run away with the win. The Aztecs also captured the second set, 25-20, after opening the frame with a 3-0 advantage and then added a five-point run to create some separation. Utah State was able to develop some momentum at the end of the second set, fighting of a pair of SDSU set points at 24-18 and 24-19 behind a kill by junior right side Izzie Hinton-Belnap and service ace by Solosabal.

The momentum proved to be invaluable for the Aggies as the third set began and Utah State opened the frame with three-straight points. USU never trailed and hit a match-best .341 (15-1-41) during the set to take it, 25-19.

Utah State overcame a three-point San Diego State advantage in the fourth set with a six-point run, overcoming a 12-9 deficit to take a 15-12 lead, punctuated by a kill by Hinton-Belnap. San Diego State answered with a three-point run, squaring the match at 15-15, before the Aggies echoed the run to take an 18-15 lead behind back-to-back SDSU attacking errors and a block by Downing and O'Brien. Utah State never trailed again and finished the set with a kill by Downing to tie the match 2-2 with a 25-20 win.

The final set was back-and-forth over the opening rallies as the teams battled through three ties and a pair of lead changes. Utah State tied the frame at 5-5 following a block by Johnson and O'Brien and the point started a four-point run, giving the Aggies an 8-5 lead following a kill by Solosabal. USU continued to lead at 10-8 before San Diego State made a late push with a 4-0 run to take a 12-10 lead. Downing recorded a kill during the next rally to put an end to the run and pull the Aggies to within one, 12-11, but the Aztecs closed the set with a 3-1 run to take the match, 15-12.

"Games three, four and five we really showed what we could be," DuBose said. "In game five we just had too many errors, missed a block and committed too many errors to win that match. We need to learn to be a little more aggressive in the end in game five."

SDSU was led by a trio of double-digit attackers in senior middle Deja Harris with a match-high 19 kills, followed by junior outside Hannah Turnlund and sophomore middle Erin Gillcrist with 15 kills apiece. Redshirt sophomore libero Loren Teter led the Aztec back row with 22 digs.

Overall, San Diego State finished the match hitting .240 (71-29-175) to Utah State's .152 (52-26-171).

USU will be back in action next week with road matches at Wyoming on Thursday, Oct. 11, and at Colorado State on Saturday, Oct. 13.

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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