LOGAN, Utah – In a clash of undefeated teams early in Mountain West play, Utah State volleyball emerged victorious in a five-set battle to defeat Boise State, 3-2 (25-19, 22-25, 25-27, 25-18, 15-11), on Saturday afternoon at the Wayne Estes Center.
 
Set One
The Aggies roared out of the gate, claiming six of the first eight points of the match. Sophomore outside Andrea Simovski led the early run with three kills as USU built a multi-point lead. After the Broncos battled back with a 4-0 run out of the media timeout to tie the set at 15 all, Utah State went on a 10-4 run to close out the set, including an 8-1 burst immediately following the tie. Sophomore opposite side hitter Loryn Helgesen added five kills during the run, including each of USU's final three points to give the Aggies the 25-19 win to open the match. Utah State hit .552 in the opening set to Boise State's .229 hitting percentage.
 
Set Two
Boise State responded with a 5-1 run early in the second frame to grab the advantage. After the Aggies battled back with a 4-1 run featuring a pair of kills from sophomore outside hitter Mara Štiglic, the Broncos again answered with a 5-1 run to build a lead as large as seven points. Utah State fought back with a 5-0 burst late in the set as Helgesen, Simovski and senior middle blocker Tierney Barlow recorded kills while junior libero/defensive specialist Kendel Thompson added an ace. After USU clawed back within two points, however, the Broncos recorded a kill to finish out the 25-22 win.
 
Set Three
Neither side managed to claim the initiative to open the third set as both teams traded short runs en route to an 11-11 tie. At last, Utah State wrestled momentum with a 4-0 run sparked by a Simovski kill and ace. USU led by as many as five before the Broncos stormed back with a 7-2 stretch late in the set before ultimately claiming a 27-25 win after three-straight points to close the frame.
 
Set Four
The fourth set began much like the third as neither side chained together more than two consecutive points until three consecutive Bronco errors gave Utah State a 13-11 lead. The Aggies staked further claim on the set with a 7-1 blitzing featuring a pair of blocks from redshirt freshman middle blocker Lauren Larkin, first teaming with Štiglic and then Simovski on the rejections. Sophomore setter Kaylie Kofe added a surprise attack for a kill during the run to help extend USU's lead to seven points. This time, there would be no Bronco comeback as Helgesen and Simovski recorded kills to key a 3-0 run to clinch the 25-18 victory and extend the match to a full five sets.
 
Set Five
Both sides traded sideouts to begin the fifth set until the Aggies grabbed the advantage after consecutive kills from Barlow and Štiglic. Following a Bronco point, Kofe won a joust at the net before a tough serve from Barlow forced a free ball and subsequent kill by Larkin to give USU a three-point lead in the decisive frame. After Boise State responded with two quick points to draw within one, Kofe and Larkin teamed up for the next three points, first combining for a block before Kofe assisted on a Larkin kill and capped the 3-0 run with an ace. The Aggies prevented the Broncos from building a comeback, recording three-straight sideouts via kills from Štiglic and Simovski plus a block by Barlow and Helgesen. A Simovski kill pushed Utah State to set point where, following a pair of Bronco kills, Simovski closed the match with another kill to give USU the 15-11 win.
 
Quick Notes

• Utah State is now 4-0 to begin conference play for the first time since starting 4-0 during WAC play in 2005. The Aggies last began conference play at 5-0 or better in 1980 when the team opened play in the IAC with six-straight wins.
• USU hit .326 for the match, the highest hitting percentage given up by Boise State this season, and recorded new season-highs of 78 kills and 73 assists.
• Kofe set a career-high with 62 assists, the most by an Aggie since Erica Moscoso recorded 67 assists against UNLV in 2016. Kofe recorded her second-straight double-double and fifth of the season with 12 digs, also posting one block and one ace.
• Thompson led the Aggies with 22 digs, one short of her career-high, while Simovski added a career-high 20 digs. This is the first time USU's has had multiple players with 20+ digs since former Aggies Jordi Holdaway and Shelby Capllonch finished with 22 and 20 digs, respectively, against UNLV in 2022. Kofe and sophomore defensive specialist Jagoda Bialek added 12 and 11 digs, respectively, to make it four Aggies with double-digit digs.
• Thompson also set a new career-high with eight assists and led the team with two aces. 
• Štiglic set a new career-high with a team-leading 21 kills on a .286 hitting percentage, also adding eight digs and one block. Simovski added a season-high 19 kills to record her fourth double-double of the season, while Helgesen finished with 18 kills plus three blocks and an ace.
• Larkin set a new career-high with a team-high seven total blocks, finishing with one solo and six assists. Barlow added four blocks, including a season-high two solo. The middle blocking duo also added nine kills apiece.

 
Up Next
The Aggies head eastward to take on Wyoming on Thursday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m. (MT), before facing Colorado State on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 1 p.m. (MT).
 
Season tickets, mini-plans, and single-game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here or by contacting the USU Ticket Office at 435-797-0305.
 
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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