Improvements help spikers win
At least one sign of character was displayed by the USU women’s volleyball team Saturday night.
After falling flat on its face to the New Mexico State Aggies Thursday, USU (10-8, 3-1 in WAC play) bounced back with a 3-0 victory (30-21, 30-27, 30-26) against the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters Saturday night in the Spectrum.
It wasn’t USU’s finest 90 minutes of volleyball, but improvements (or, perhaps, baby steps for a team that has often started three freshmen) were made.
“We passed a lot better,” said Aggie outside hitter Beth Hodge, who recorded a team-high 20 kills to go along with 10 digs and a .400 attacking percentage.
“That helps. We made more serves. It just helps the flow of the match. If you can’t pass the ball then you are S.O.L.,” she said.
Hodge’s numbers were her fifth double-double of the season.
Miscues in attacking and serving again proved to be a burden for USU.
Holding a one-point lead midway through Game 2, the Aggies then seemingly gave the Lady Techsters (5-15, 0-4) two points in their four-point run that allowed them to take the lead that made the outcome of the game in question until the end.
With a two-point lead halfway into Game 3, the Aggies committed three consecutive errors to give the Lady Techsters a two-point advantage.
But the Aggies went on a 9-3 run after that to take the game.
The semi-positive from both of these instances of error is that USU did not fold under pressure.
“We did a little bit better with pressure, but, ugghh, we made some stupid mental errors,” Hodge said. “We gave them those points. We let them go on those runs. Those are momentum breakers, which is what we have got to work on. But we’re getting better, and that’s good. It’s not as bad as it used to be. It could be worse.”
The Aggies finished with 24 attacking errors and eight service errors.
Over the course of their four-game WAC-opening homestand, the Aggies tallied 92 attacking errors (23 per game) and 46 service errors (11.5 p.g.).
Twenty-four of those service errors came from outside hitter Amanda Nielson.
Nielson, however, is ranked second in the WAC in points per game (5.13) and fourth in kills (4.11).
Nielson finished with 12 kills, four blocks and nine digs against the Lady Techsters.
“We still have to kind of find a way not to make so many errors under pressure,” DuBose said. “We just make too many. We gave up a run in that third game – four errors in a row, and suddenly they’re up two. Whatever it is – concentration, focus, we have to find a way not to make so many mistakes.”
Game 1 was the Aggies’ worst in attacking (.069 percentage), but they it was the least-close of all the games.
That was helped by 10 attacking errors by the Lady Techsters and three service errors. Their attacking percentage for Game 1 was .000.
The Aggies improved their attacking percentage in each game, coming out with a .191 percentage on the night.
Shannon Phillips led the Lady Techsters with 11 kills and 10 digs.
Aggie notes: Freshman outside hitter/middle blocker Danielle Taylor sat out Saturday night. DuBose said she slipped in practice Friday and injured her foot. DuBose didn’t know how serious the injury is, but it is bad enough that Taylor will not travel with the team this week to Nevada and Hawai’i. Taylor has been battling for a starting spot with junior Monarisa Ale, who herself came back from an injury this week.