LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Top-seeded Utah State volleyball (24-6, 17-1 MW) lost a heartbreaker to No. 5-seeded Fresno State (18-13, 10-8 MW) in the semifinals of the 2023 Mountain West Championships on Thursday.
The loss was the Aggies' first since September as USU entered the tournament on a 14-match winning streak.
Senior outside hitter
Tatum Stall and junior opposite side hitter
Adna Mehmedovic led the Aggies with 14 kills apiece. Stall recorded her seventh double-double of the season after finishing the match with 11 digs. Sophomore setter
Leah Wilton-LaBoy led the way with 22 assists, while junior setter
Beatriz Rodrigues logged 16 assists and match-best four service aces.
Defensively, two more Aggies logged double-digit digs in graduate senior outside
Shelby Capllonch with 13 and freshman libero
Kambree Rodriguez with 11. Senior middle blocker
Kelsey Watson recorded a team-high five blocks.
Fresno State led 14-10 in set one, but a 5-0 Utah State run, highlighted by service aces from Capllonch and senior defensive specialist
Jordi Holdaway, along with kills from Mehmedovic and Watson, gave the Aggies the 15-14 edge. The teams went back and forth until a kill from graduate senior middle blocker
Kennedi Boyd gave USU a 23-21 advantage. However, the Bulldogs closed out the set with a 5-1 run for the 26-24 win.
After an early 3-0 Bulldog lead in set two, the Aggies turned around with a dominant 14-3 run, highlighted by kills from the Aggie front line of Mehmedovic, Watson, Stall, graduate senior opposite
Jill Schneggenburger, Capllonch and Boyd, along with blocks from Watson and Stall and an ace by Rodrigues, for the 15-6 lead. Three-straight USU points later extended the Aggie advantage to 23-13. Fresno State scored four of the next five points, but a Bulldog error gave USU the 25-17 victory.
Fresno State never trailed in set three, winning 25-18.
A Mehmedovic and Watson block gave the Aggies' the 3-2 lead in set four, but that would be the Utah State's only lead in the set. After the Bulldogs took a 20-13 advantage, USU responded with a 7-0 run, bookended by Mehmedovic and Stall kills, to tie things up. However, Fresno State scored five of the next six points for the 25-21 win.
Overall, USU hit .191 (48-23-131), while Fresno State hit .287 (55-18-129).
The 2023 NCAA Tournament selection show will take place on Sunday, Nov. 26, at 4 p.m. (MT).
Fans can follow the Aggie volleyball program on Twitter, @USUVolleyball, on Facebook at /USUVolleyball or on Instagram, @usuvolleyball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter, @USUAthletics, Facebook at /USUAthletics and on Instagram, @USUAthletics.
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