San Diego State denies volleyball the reverse sweep

SPOKANE, Wash. – Gonzaga volleyball fought back and forced San Diego State into a fifth set, but narrowly fell in a tiebreaker on Friday at the Charlotte Y. Martin Center. After dropping the first two sets to SDSU, the Bulldogs picked up two consecutive set wins to bring the match to five before the Aztecs won the match 25-14, 25-14, 21-25, 18-25, 15-12.

In the opening match of the Gonzaga Invitational, San Diego State (7-2) defeated Gonzaga (1-8) in the first and second sets. After breaking a 9-9 tie in the first set, SDSU used a 16-5 run to take the first set. A similar picture emerged in the second set, as San Diego State broke an early 4-4 tie before going on a 21-10 run to quickly turn the game 2-0 in their favor. Jasmine Davis was the kill leader for the Aztecs, scoring seven points in the first two sets.

The Bulldogs fought back in the third set and took a narrow 25-21 victory after a 6-0 run turned the score around and forced the match into a fourth set. Maggie Rickert And Autumn Larson caught fire for Gonzaga towards the end of the third round and led a total of 15 kills for the GU offense with four each, while the freshman pair of Hayley Ogden And Rachelle Dykstra each added three for the cause.

Gonzaga continued to gain momentum in the fourth set, taking a 14-8 lead thanks to a 6-0 run by Dykstra and Larson. After San Diego State narrowed the deficit to 18-16, the Bulldogs settled down after a timeout with a 7-2 run that sent the game into a decisive fifth set. Dykstra led the set with five kills and a .455 hitting percentage.

The fifth set saw a final battle as Gonzaga struck first with an early 6-2 lead. San Diego State didn't stay behind long, tying the score at 9-9 before going on a 5-0 run to take the lead for good. The Aztecs' 13-11 lead held, and SDSU won 15-12, preventing a reverse sweep of Gonzaga at the Martin Centre.

Dykstra finished the night with 13 kills to lead GU. He added 12 digs for another double-double. Odgen had 12 kills on a .333 hitting percentage and Larson was the third Zag to score in double figures with 11 kills. Maddie Cugino continued to shine in defense and at the service line, recording 21 saves and adding 4 service aces.

Rickert also served four aces for Gonzaga, which again broke the program record for most service aces (rally scoring) in just six days. After GU scored 15 against Cal State Bakersfield on Sept. 15, the team broke the record again Friday night with 16 against San Diego State.

Next

Gonzaga will face cross-town rival Eastern Washington on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. to conclude the Gonzaga Invitational and its nonconference schedule for the 2024 season.