SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Utah State volleyball captured a five-set victory over CSUN (formerly Cal State Northridge) in its closing match at the Hornet Invitational on Saturday afternoon. The contest included three sets that were decided by extra points as the Aggies came away with the 25-21, 24-26, 30-28, 26-28, 15-11 win.
Utah State had five players with double-digit kills, including sophomore outside Gabbi Shumway with a team-best 15, followed by junior right side Izzie Hinton-Belnap with 14, senior middle Lauren O'Brien with 13, and freshman middle Corinne Larsen and sophomore outside Bailey Downing with 10 apiece. O'Brien was also the most efficient hitter for the Aggies, hitting .476 (13-3-21) during the match en route to being named to the all-tournament team.
O'Brien tied Larsen at the net as the top blocker during the match, as the duo each logged a match-high seven during the contest. Senior setter Kassidy Johnson recorded her second double-double of the tournament, after finishing with 47 assists and 14 digs. Senior libero Tasia Taylor led both sides with a match-high 23 digs, extending a streak of double-digit digs to 16 matches. Sophomore defensive specialist Madi Olson-Shepherd also recorded double-digit digs, finishing the match with 12.
Utah State used a six-point run, including three-straight kills by Larsen, in the early goings of the first set to overcome a 4-2 deficit and build an 8-4 lead of its own. However, the run was countered by a five-point run by the Matadors, swinging the lead back to CSUN, 9-8. The teams then played through ties at 9-9 and 10-10, before Utah State used a 7-2 run to create a five-point cushion, 17-12. The Aggies never trailed again and used a 4-1 run to punctuate the set, 25-21. Utah State has yet to lose the first set in a match this season.
Utah State had to play catch up in the second set as CSUN opened with a 3-1 advantage. The Aggies fought back to tie the set at 6-6 and 7-7, but a seven-point run broke the final tie and gave the Matadors the 14-7 advantage. Utah State continued to chip away at the CSUN lead and came to within three, 23-20, late in the set and prompted a Matador timeout. Coming out of the break, CSUN recorded a kill, setting up set point at 24-20. The Aggies again battled back and tied the match at 24-24, punctuated by a block by Larsen and Shumway and a service ace by Taylor. The Matadors then put an end to the Utah State comeback with back-to-back points to take the set 26-24 and even the match at one set apiece.
In the third set, Utah State and CSUN played through 10 ties and five lead changes and saved much of the drama for the closing moments of the frame. USU fought off a Matador set point at 24-23 and again at 25-24, only to have CSUN return the favor and squash set points for the Aggies at 26-25 and 27-26. Back-to-back kills by the Matadors gave CSUN another set point at 28-27, but Utah State countered with a kill by Larsen, tying the set at 28-28. The freshman middle then stepped behind the service line and recorded an ace, giving the Aggies set point at 29-28. Downing wrapped up the frame for the Aggies with a kill, giving Utah State the set, 30-28, and a 2-1 lead.
Utah State led throughout most of the fourth set and looked to be on its way to a four-set victory after capturing match point at 24-22. However, CSUN was able to come back and tie the match at 24-24, but Utah State responded with a Lauren O'Brien kill to take its second match point at 25-24. The Matadors countered with back-to-back points, taking a 26-25 lead, but another kill by O'Brien tied the set again at 26-26. The match moved into a decisive fifth set when closing kills by CSUN gave the Matadors the 28-26 win.
Neither team built much of an advantage in the final set as the teams played through six ties and three lead changes. Utah State broke a 7-7 tie with three straight points behind a kill by O'Brien, followed by a block by O'Brien and Hinton-Belnap. CSUN answered with a 4-1 run, tying the set at 11-11 as Utah State called a timeout. The break halted the Matador momentum and O'Brien recorded a kill out of the timeout that kickstarted a four-point run by the Aggies to close the set and match, 15-11.
CSUN was led offensively by Aeryn Owens with a match-high 24 kills, followed by Nicole Nevarez with 15, Lexi McLeod with 14 and Morgan Salone with 12. McLeod finished the match with a double-double after recording 14 digs, second only to teammate Kristey Markle with a team-high 15. For the match, CSUN hit .212 (71-33-179) to Utah State's .291 (65-21-151). Utah State also carried the advantage in blocks (15.0 to 11.0) and digs (64 to 52).
The Aggies will be back in action next week, hosting the Utah State Invitational and welcoming UTRGV, Loyola Marymount and Cal Poly to Logan. Matches will be played on Kirby Court at the Wayne Estes Center on Friday, Aug. 31, and Saturday, Sept. 1. The complete schedule of the tournament can be found online at www.utahstateaggies.com.
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.
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