LOGAN, Utah – Utah State volleyball continued its dominant conference season, securing an outright Mountain West regular season title with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-21) sweep at Fresno State on Thursday night at the Save Mart Center. 

USU last earned an outright MW title in 2023 and has now won three regular season titles in the last five seasons, also claiming a title in 2021 in addition to winning a tournament title in 2022. Utah State has won nine regular season conference titles overall in program history, also earning titles in the WAC in 2012 and a string of five-straight titles in the Intermountain Athletic Conference from 1977-81.

The Aggies also extended their winning streak to 16 matches, the program's longest winning streak since 1979 and the fourth-longest streak in program history overall, trailing only a streak of 18 games in 1977, a 23-game streak spanning the team's 1978 national title season and 1979, and a program-record 26-game streak in 1978.

Set One
Against the team currently sitting last in the MW standings, the Aggies were pushed in each set. In the opening frame, Utah State initially looked to repeat their first match against the Bulldogs when USU set a program record with a .567 hitting percentage. The Aggies built a 15-8 lead on the strength of two separate 4-0 runs, the first anchored by a pair of kills from sophomore outside hitter Mara Štiglic and the second being led by a pair of kills from sophomore outside hitter Andrea Simovski. Fresno State battled back, however, winning nine of the ensuing 13 rallies to climb back within two points at 19-17. Another two kills from Štiglic stemmed the tide, though the Bulldogs again pulled within two points at 23-21. Simovski halted a Bulldog rally with a kill before sophomore opposite side hitter Loryn Helgesen ultimately provided the final kill for a 25-22 win in the opening set. 

Set Two
The tight contest continued into set two as multiple two-point Fresno State leads proved the largest leads through to the media timeout. Senior middle blocker Tierney Barlow helped the Aggies keep pace, though, with five kills through just over half the set. Trailing 17=15, however, the Aggies found their groove via a 5-0 burst. Redshirt freshman middle blocker Lauren Larkin spurred the run with a solo block and a kill surrounding an ace by sophomore setter Kaylie Kofe. With the lead, USU managed to stave off Fresno State as the Bulldogs crept within a single point on multiple occasions. In the final stages of the set, Kofe scored a surprise kill to put USU at set point where sophomore outside hitter Ava Nakai stepped to the service line to seal another 25-22 win with an ace off a jump serve.

Set Three
The Aggies jumped out early in set three with a 4-0 run featuring an ace by junior libero/defensive specialist Kendel Thompson before being immediately matched by a 4-0 run by Fresno State. Štiglic then recorded three kills and a block alongside Larkin to spark an 8-2 run for Utah State to reestablish control. Again, the Bulldogs fought valiantly, ultimately tying the set at 21-21 after a 3-0 spurt to force an Aggie timeout. USU then responded with a 4-0 run as Larkin recorded a kill and block before the Aggie defense then forced back-to-back Bulldog attack errors to seal a 25-21 victory to complete the sweep.

Quick Notes

• Utah State hit .296 for the match, their 12th match of MW play with over a .250 hitting percentage, including an active streak of six-straight. The Aggies are now hitting .261 on the season, a mark which would break the current program record of .238 set in 2016.
• USU is now averaging 15.09 kills per set during MW play, the top mark in the league and just short of a full kill more than second-place Colorado State (14.15). Utah State's 15.09 kills-per-set average would rank first in the nation over the entire season. As it stands, the Aggies rank 21st nationally with 13.88 kills per set over the full season.
• Helgesen 
• Štiglic led the Aggies with 12 kills on a .344 hitting percentage, her 11th match leading USU in kills this season and her second-straight match hitting over .300 with double-digit kills. Štiglic also added four digs and three blocks.
• Helgesen added 10 kills on a .350 hitting percentage, her 13th match during MW play with at least 10 kills, and added three digs and two blocks.
• Barlow and Simovski each added nine kills. Barlow added another two blocks while Simovski finished with five digs, two assists and a block.
• Larkin led USU with six blocks, including two solo. Larkin has now led the Aggies in blocks in a team-high 11 matches this season.
• Thompson recorded a team-high 11 digs, her 12th match with double-digit digs during MW play, and added six assists and an ace.
• Sophomore defensive specialist Jagoda Bialek added nine digs, her third match during conference play with nine or more digs.
• Nakai led the Aggies with two aces, her first multi-ace match in her career.
• Kofe recorded a team-high 30 assists, falling just short of a double-double with eight digs and also added an ace.

Up Next
The Aggies head to San Jose for their final road match of the regular season, taking on San José State on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 1 p.m. (MT).

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.

 - USU -