LOGAN, Utah – Utah State volleyball celebrated Club Estes Night in heart-stopping fashion, flipping the script from previous five-set matches this season and pulling out several crucial points late to come away with the victory over Washington State 3-2 (21-25, 25-12, 25-22, 18-25, 15-13) on Thursday night at the Wayne Estes Center.

Four Aggies reached double-digit kills for only the second match this season, led by a season-high 23 kills from junior outside hitter Sami Blackett. Respective junior and graduate middle blockers Ava Napierski and Sophie Scott combined for 25 kills while sophomore setter Silina Damuni set a career-high with 57 assists to help the Aggies stay alive in the race for the Pac-12 Tournament.

Set One
It was the visiting Cougars who made the first move of the match, using a 7-2 stretch to build a four-point lead early in the first set. The Aggies slowly erased the deficit with Blackett supplying four kills and each of Napierski and junior outside hitter Olivia Ruy notching two as USU managed to tie the set at 17 all. Washington State responded late, however, using a 4-1 burst to close out a 25-21 opening-set victory.

Set Two
After opening much like the first set, Utah State took over the second from the service line as the team recorded three aces during an 11-1 blitzing that gave the home side control of the frame. Napierski posted two aces during the surge plus a kill and block alongside Ruy. USU further slammed the door with a 3-0 run featuring another ace from sophomore defensive specialist Lily LaFlesch, tying USU's season-high for aces in a set with four. Utah State led by as many as 13 points on the way to a 25-12 victory.

Set Three
The Aggies maintained momentum as Scott registered a set-opening kill and Napierski and graduate right side hitter Lauren Bodily teamed up for a block as part of four-straight points to begin the fourth set. This time, the Cougars responded, eventually taking the lead with a 5-1 run midway through the frame. Utah State closed out strong, however, earning an immediate sideout on WSU's next five serves as part of a pivotal 11-5 span to take their own multi-point lead. Napierski led the way with five kills down the stretch while Damuni posted a solo block and assisted on 16  of USU's 17 kills in the set to help the Aggies earn a 25-22 win and go up 2-1.

Set Four
Washington State scored the first five points of the fourth set and led by as many as nine points. The Aggies battled late, however, using a 4-1 run featuring back-to-back kills from Blackett to disrupt the Cougars' momentum before WSU closed out a 25-18 win to send the match to a fifth set.

Set Five
In the decisive set, Utah State used a 6-2 stretch to flip a two-point deficit into a two-point lead heading into the media timeout. Ruy notched a pair of kills while Napierski, Bodily and Blackett all supplied one to put USU in the driver's seat. The Cougars responded, using back-to-back blocks and ace to erase USU's lead and take a slim 12-11 advantage. Facing the possibility of another five-set heartbreaker, the Aggie defense stepped up, first forcing an attacking error from the Cougars before Damuni and Scott combined for a block to retake the lead. After a Cougar kill tied the set at 13-13, Utah State again forced a pair of Washington State attacks outside the lines to give the Aggies a 15-13 victory.

Quick Notes

• Blackett's 23 kills are her most kills in a match since recording 27 kills in back-to-back matches as a freshman at Utah Valley in 2024. They are also the second-most by an Aggie this season. She recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 11 digs and added an ace, assist and two blocks.
• Napierski tied her career-high with 13 kills and led the team in blocks and aces with five and two, respectively. She also set a career-high with five digs.
• Scott set a career-high with 12 kills on a team-best .409 hitting percentage while adding three blocks.
• Damuni's 57 assists are the third-most by any player in the Pac-12 this season. She narrowly missed a third-consecutive double-double, finishing with nine digs plus three blocks.
• Ruy also reached double-digit kills as she ended with 10 alongside four digs and two blocks. This was only the second match this season in which the Aggies have had four players reach double figures in kills after also doing so against Gonzaga.
• Bodily came close to a fifth Aggie with double-digit kills, finishing with eight and adding two digs and two blocks. 
• Junior libero/outside hitter Justyna Novakova led the team with 14 digs and added two assists. LaFlesch finished close behind with 13 digs while adding an ace. Sophomore defensive specialist Sadie Warren also added an ace and came near double-digit digs as she ended with nine.
• Utah State finished with five aces and only five service errors, USU's first match this season ending with an ace-error ratio of 1.0 or higher.

Up Next
The Aggies (4-16, 3-7 Pac-12) return from their second bye of conference play to host Texas State on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m. (MT) at the Wayne Estes Center.

Tickets
Single-game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased through the USU online ticket office.
 
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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