LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Utah State volleyball saw their season come to an end in the first round of the Mountain West Tournament, falling to Boise State, 3-1 (25-19, 18-25, 25-20, 25-23) on Wednesday at Cox Pavilion.
Head coach Rob Neilson
"Sometimes competition breaks your heart. I am so proud of this group and their battle all season. Climbing back into that fourth set was special, but ultimately not enough to beat a tough Boise State team. I am so proud of Adna, Kelsey and Kaylie for all they've given to our program, and extremely excited for the future of Aggie volleyball with a talented group of future stars. Amazing things to come, the Aggies are on the rise!"
Set One
After USU defeated the Broncos twice during the regular season, Boise State came out in the opening set determined for a different result, opening up an 8-2 lead to begin the match. After the Broncos led by as many as eight points, Utah State rallied with an 8-3 stretch to claw back within three points. BSU responded with another run to restore their lead and extend it to nine points at 23-14. The Aggies fought back with a 5-0 burst but could not fully erase the deficit as Boise State took the opening set, 25-19.
Set Two
The Aggies jumped out to an early three-point lead before BSU answered with a 5-0 run to retake the lead. From there, both sides settled into a back-and-forth affair as the score was tied at 10-10, 12-12, 13-13, 14-14 and 16-16. Utah State broke out of the gridlock with an 8-1 burst to take control late in the set. A pair of aces and a trio of kills from junior
Tierney Barlow spearheaded the run as USU took a 22-17 lead. In the final stages, graduate senior
Kelsey Watson came through for the Aggies, registering a pair of block assists, first alongside senior
Adna Mehmedovic then with redshirt junior
Kaylie Ray, before clinching the set with a kill for the 25-18 win.
Set Three
Boise State grabbed the lead early in set three, leading by as many as four at 10-6. Neither side was able to string together points for much of the set, however, as neither team strung together more than three unanswered points until late. The Aggies managed a 6-2 stretch to tie the set and ultimately took the lead after a kill from freshman
Andrea Simovski. The Broncos retook the lead with a 4-1 burst and, after USU trimmed the deficit back to a single point at 21-20, put together a 4-0 to take the set, 25-20.
Set Four
The Broncos immediately burst out to a 7-1 lead to begin the fourth frame. Utah State responded with a 4-0 burst to get back in the set but was unable to fully erase Boise State's advantage as the Broncos held the lead for much of the set but were largely unable to extend it themselves. Facing a late four-point deficit. USU stormed back with a 7-2 stretch to take a 22-21 lead following a Mehmedovic kill. After alternating points, BSU responded, however, using a 3-0 run to take the set, 25-23, and clinch the 3-1 victory.
Quick Notes
- Mehmedovic led the Aggies with 14 kills on a .407 hitting percentage, her ninth match this season hitting .400 or better. Barlow also reached double figures with 10 kills on a .429 hitting percentage, also adding a team-high two aces and one block. Both Simovski and Watson ended with nine kills.
- Watson also led USU with four blocks, while Mehmedovic and Ray each finished with two blocks for the match.
- Freshman Kaylie Kofe recorded her 12th double-double of the year, finishing with 43 assists and 11 digs.
- Sophomore Kendel Thompson led USU with 12 digs, while freshman Jagoda Bialek tied for second alongside Kofe with 11 digs.
- Utah State ends the season at 15-14 overall, their fourth consecutive season finishing with a winning record.
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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