Box Score Oct. 22, 2016 Final Stats
RENO, Nev. - The Nevada Wolf Pack volleyball team (14-7, 5-4) fell to the Utah State Aggies (10-11, 5-5) in four sets Saturday afternoon 25-17, 18-15, 25-17 and 25-19.
Senior Madison Morell led the offense for Nevada with an astonishing 27 kills, the second-most in a single match in her career and 14th in school history. Senior Madison Thorpe led the defense with 12 digs, while senior Lyndsey Anderson tallied 43 assists. Junior Madison Foley recorded nine kills with eight digs.
Like just about every set this season, the two teams kept it close. Nevada took a two point lead at 5-3, but three straight Aggie points put Utah State up 6-5. A kill from sophomore Peighton De Von knotted it back up at 8-8. The Aggies took another lead, this time a three point advantage at 13-10. Utah State wouldn't let go of that lead, taking set one 25-17.
The beginning of set two went much more in favor of the Wolf Pack, jumping out to a 5-1 lead with kills from De Von and Morell and an ace from Foley. Nevada continued to extend its lead, forcing the Aggies to call a timeout at 10-3 as the Pack was hitting at a tick of .667. Morell also crossed that key 10th kill just halfway through the second set to continue her streak in every game this season. Nevada went on a seven point run to take a 14-3 lead before a kill from Utah State's Lauren Anderson cut it off. Utah State assembled a few small runs throughout the rest of the match, but the Wolf Pack maintained its large lead to even the match, taking set two 25-18.
Nevada leapt out to another early lead, going up three at 5-2 before Utah State tried to stem the Wolf Pack with an early timeout. The Aggies fought back, knotting the set up at eight. A kill from Foley and a freshman Shayla Hoeft's third block of the match put Nevada up by two before the Aggies rallied back to take a two point lead of their own. The Pack locked the match back up at 14. In the process, Morell hit the 20 kill mark for the fifth time this season. The two teams continued to battle it out back and forth, but Nevada was forced to take a timeout when Utah State went up 19-16. The Aggies continued their roll, taking set three 25-17.
Even though none of the sets ended very close, they sure started tight and the fourth was no different as both teams stayed within one of each other. However, the Aggies began to pull away, and Nevada called a timeout to regroup as the home team took an 11-6 lead. Down 16-10, Nevada went on a 4-1 run to come within three, but Utah State would hold onto its lead, claiming set four 25-19 to take the match 3-1.
After a four-match road trip, the Pack will finally return home to the Virginia Street Gym, taking on Boise State in a Thursday night match on Oct. 27.
