Spikers lose two, win one in weekend tournament
Short one of its key components to victory, the USU volleyball team lost in three straight games Friday night to the University of Utah.
Aggie outside hitter Beth Hodge suffered a stressfracture in her left leg during a practice at the DeeGlen Smith Spectrum last Wednesday afternoon.
Without her, the Utes and their No. 24 ranking were too much, winning 30-25, 30-23, 30-11.
“That’s a good team,” USU Head Coach Grayson DuBose said of the Utes. “They didn’t lose anybody from lastyear. They made the second round of the NCAAtournament. So, they’re a very experienced, very polished, very well-coached team. They were justbetter than us.”
The game was one of three USU (5-4) played as part of the 2006 Utah Classic held Friday and Saturday atCrimson Court.
Earlier Friday, the Aggies lost in three games (19-30,31-33, 22-30) to the Missouri State Bears.
Saturday at noon, USU defeated the Temple Owls in three games (30-27, 30-15, 30-21).
The possible result had Hodge been playing?
“I’d like to think we would have won,” DuBose said.
“The thing she’ll bring to the table is experience.
For sure she would have helped us.”
No. 24 Utes 3, Aggies 0
Knowing 1990 was the last time the Aggies won a game against their in-state rivals in Salt Lake, and considering their Top 25 ranking, the Aggies certainly knew they had a hill to climb Friday night.
USU stayed with the Utes, at least for the first two games.
The hosts out-hit the Aggies .275 to .114 in game one and .275 to .122 in game two.
Game three was a different story. The Utes turned up the burners and out-hit the Aggies .323 to negative .308.
Overall, the Aggies hit negative .026. The Utes tallied 9.5 more team blocks, 18 more kills and 17 fewer hitting errors than the Aggies.
“You prepare yourselves and always think you have a chance,” DuBose said. “But it wasn’t to be. They separated themselves (from us) at the end.”
Monarisa Ale led the Aggies with 10 kills and freshman Hailey Jeppson recorded seven kills, six digs and four blocks.
Bears 3, Aggies 0
Things weren’t any easier for the Aggies in their opening game against the Bears, who were picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference in the preseason poll.
Missouri State (6-1) is only the second-winningest volleyball program in the country (981 wins) behind UCLA.
USU struggled offensively in game one, recording a .000 hitting percentage. Game two, the closest the Aggies came to capturing Friday, was a bright spot as
USU hit .151 as a team, losing the game by two points.
The Bears were led by Eric O’Connor, who had 18 kills.
Jeppson led the Aggies with 13 kills and 11 digs.
Amanda Nielson tallied 12 kills and six digs.
Aggies 3, Owls 0
It was no doubt the highlight of the tournament for the Aggies.
Game one was a tight contest. Both squads had low hitting percentages (.024 for USU and .020 for Temple).
Ale came through big for the Aggies in game two, recording five kills to help her team hit .222 (the highest of the weekend for USU) and take the game by15 points.
Game three featured five kills from Melissa Larson and four kills from both Jeppson and Nielson.
Ale’s nine kills on the day were the high for USU.
Larson, Jeppson and Nielson each recorded six.
Kelsi Peterson had 14 digs and Jeppson recorded 10.