Volleyball team guarantees conference title with win over New Mexico State

CURTIS LUNDSTROM, sports senior writer

Add another conference title to the list.

Continuing an already stellar season of Aggie Athletics, the Utah State volleyball team locked up the No. 1 seed and at least a share of the conference title with a four-set win over New Mexico State on the road Saturday.

“It’s fun,” USU head coach Grayson DuBose said. “It’s nice to be able to get one. We’re real happy that we could get one tonight.”

Senior Josselyn White led a three-headed attack for the Aggies with 13 kills, while senior Shay Sorensen and sophomore Rachel Orr each added 12 to dispatch NMSU.

The Aggies raced to a two-set advantage with 25-17 and 25-13 victories before ball control broke down in third and led to a 22-25 loss.

USU bounced back and held the red-clad Aggies to a .154 hitting percentage in the fourth set to seal the win.

“We had poor serves in that game and our passing wasn’t quite as good as it was in the first two,” DuBose said. “I thought we served well in the fourth, and received well. Serving and passing is a huge deal.”

The Aggies improved to 19-7 overall this season, including a 14-2 mark in WAC play. New Mexico State fell to 18-8 overall and 11-4 in WAC play.

Utah State wraps up regular-season play with a pair of matches. First up is a visit to San Jose State on Nov 10 at 8 p.m. before the Aggies finish the season at home against Texas State on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.

“One game at a time, one point at a time,” DuBose said. “San Jose is the next one in front of us and we have to go out there and take care of business at their place. That’s the next thing in our control.”

curtis.lundstrom@aggiemail.usu.edu
Twitter: @CurtisLundstrom