Aggies top Boise State for second time in week
For the second time in one week, the Aggies came away victorious against conference rival Boise State.
After sweeping BSU at home on Sept. 18, the Aggies traveled into Bronco territory and took control once again, taking the match 3-1 (26-24, 25-21, 18-25, 25-17.)
“Saturday was good,” said head coach Grayson DuBose. “We enjoyed some success obviously, and I liked what we did. There was a chance for us to kind of get complacent, and I’m glad that we didn’t.”
With the win, USU jumped to 2-0 in conference play and 8-4 overall this season. BSU dropped to 5-6 overall and 0-2 in the MWC.
Junior setter Paige Neves pulled out her fourth double-double of the season and 27th of her career with 40 assists and 10 digs.
Four Aggies had double-digits in kills. Junior outside hitter Rachel Orr notched 14 kills, closely trailed by sophomore opposite side hitter Elle Brainard at 13. Junior middle blocker Kaitlyn VanHoff came out with 10 kills and senior outside hitter Tumua Etimani closed out the match with her fifth double-double of both the season and her career, notching 10 kills and 13 digs.
The Aggies led the entire first set, but the Broncos came back and tied the score at 15-15. The Aggies pulled ahead, scoring five straight points. BSU responded with a drive of their own, tying the set at 24-24, but a Boise error and a kill from Brainard put it away for USU, 26-24.
The score bounced back and forth with no lead more than two points halfway into the second set, but the Broncos scored five points, posting their largest lead of the night at 18-14. The Aggies refused to stay out of the game and came back to take the set on four straight points, 25-21.
Boise dominated the third set, never giving up the lead to the Aggies after the third point. USU took their first timeout of the night after Boise went up 22-15, but the Broncos refused to let up, taking the set 25-28.
The Aggies immediately took a lead in the fourth set, opening up a four-point gap over the Broncos, 12-8. USU continued the lead to a 17-10 score, and though BSU fought back, the Aggies closed the set and the match with a team block from Brainard and VanHoff, echoing the block by the same two athletes who won the sweep over BSU on Wednesday.
“We are in a good spot,” DuBose said. “We like where we’re headed. We like the character we’re developing. Being on the road this much has been a challenge for us, but the girls have handled it really well.”
The Aggies will go on to play two more road games this week, taking on Fresno State on Thursday, Sept. 26 and then San Jose State on Saturday, Sept. 28. Their next home match will be at 7 p.m. Oct. 3 when they host New Mexico at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
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