LOGAN, Utah – After dropping each of the opening two sets by two points on Wednesday night at the Wayne Estes Center, Utah State volleyball rebounded in dominant fashion, holding Texas State to a negative hitting percentage over the final three sets to pull off the reverse sweep victory 3-2 (23-25, 23-25, 25-13, 25-12, 15-10).

Junior outside hitters Olivia Ruy and Sami Blackett led the offense with 21 and 20 kills, respectively, marking USU's first match this season with multiple 20-plus kill performances. Sophomore setter Silina Damuni posted her team-best 10th double-double of the season with 50 assists and 15 digs while junior libero/outside hitter Justyna Novakova set a career-high with 17 digs.

With the victory, the Aggies improved to 4-7 in conference play and remain alive in the race to qualify for the Pac-12 Tournament. Utah State now sits in a tie for fifth place in the league standings.

Set One
The Aggies opened up the match in control, using 5-1 and 4-1 runs in the opening set to build an 18-15 lead. Ruy led the offense with five kills during the early stretch before Texas State responded with a 4-0 burst to jump in front. Graduate middle blocker Sophie Scott posted back-to-back kills plus a block alongside graduate right side hitter Lauren Bodily to push USU back ahead but the Bobcats again answered back, closing out the frame with a 6-2 run to win 25-23.

Set Two
Texas State maintained momentum into set two, going on a 7-1 run in the early stages. Utah State slowly chipped away at the deficit, earning immediate sideouts on the Bobcats' next 10 serves, allowing the Aggies to crawl back within a single point on multiple occasions. USU was unable to fully erase the deficit, however, as Texas State held on for another 25-23 set victory. Including the team's first matchup in San Marcos earlier this season, four of the five sets played to this point between the teams had resulted in 25-23 Bobcat wins.

Set Three
The Aggies wasted little time in flipping the script as a solo block from junior outside hitter Ava Nakai and an ace from Novakova set the tone to begin the third set. Utah State leapt ahead with a 5-0 burst that featured back-to-back aces from Blackett. The run turned into an onslaught as USU put together further stretches of five- and six-straight points as part of an 18-4 run. Damuni and junior middle blocker Ava Napierski both added aces as Utah State set a new season-high with five aces during the set. The Aggie block also showed up as Nakai and junior middle blocker Solia Angilau each recorded a solo block and teamed up for another block late in the set as Utah State coasted to a 25-13 victory.

Set Four
After a back-and-forth affair early in set four, the Aggies again put on a dominant display to take set four, turning a 9-8 deficit into a 25-12 win with a 17-3 run to close it out. Nakai kickstarted the run with a kill and a block alongside Angilau before Blackett put USU in firm control with three-straight kills. The Bobcats twice called timeout to slow the run but the Aggies responded both times with back-to-back points to maintain the advantage. Blackett tallied nine kills in the set, tying the most in a single frame by an Aggie this season. As a team, Utah State totaled 18 kills during the set, also tying the team's season-high for a single frame. 

Set Five
The decisive frame featured plenty of momentum swings as USU began with three-straight points out of the gate. Nakai registered a set-opening kill before Napierski and Blackett combined on a block to put the Aggies up 3-0. Texas State answered back with five unanswered points, however, to force an Aggie timeout. USU again scored three-straight, including a pair of kills from Blackett, but the Bobcats again responded with a run of their own, also scoring three-straight point to retake the lead at 8-6. A kill from Damuni broke up the run and after another Bobcat kill, Utah State regained its dominant form sets three and four, scoring seven-straight points. Angilau and Ruy anchored the run with a pair of blocks while Ruy also added two kills and Napierski registered an ace to push the Aggies to match point. After Texas State fended off on match-clinching attack, Ruy then delivered the final blow to give USU the 15-10 victory.

Quick Notes

• The Aggies recorded 18 blocks as a team, tied for the most by the program since a 21-block outing against San Diego State in 2019.
• Ruy recorded her third match of 20-plus kills this season and also added a career-high-tying six blocks.
• Blackett also topped 20 kills for the third time this season and came one dig short of a double-double, finishing with nine digs alongside three blocks and a team-high three aces.
• Blackett and Ruy are the first Aggie duo each with three or more 20-plus kill outings in a season since at least 2014.
• Napierski added seven kills and posted a team-high eight blocks, one off her career-high. She also added a pair of aces.
• Behind Napierski and Ruy, Angilau added five blocks, all in the last three frames, while Scott finished with four blocks.
• Damuni added three kills, three blocks and a career-high-tying two aces to her double-double.
• Utah State's eight aces are the second-most by the team this season, trailing only the team's mark of 11 aces at Weber State.
• Sophomore defensive specialist Sadie Warren came one dig shy of her career high, ending with 14 plus two assists.
• Utah State hit .239 for the match while holding the Bobcats to an .074 hitting percentage, the lowest mark allowed by the Aggies since holding Nevada to an .065 mark in 2023.

Up Next
The Aggies (5-16, 4-7 Pac-12) close out a three-match home stand against Oregon State on Friday, Nov. 6, 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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