Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
San Diego State
Volleyball Survives Scare In San Diego
11/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 10, 2006
The Colorado State volleyball team survived a scare in San Diego, defeating San Diego State in five games, 30-21, 29-31, 30-20, 26-30, 15-13 to improve to 17-6 on the year and 11-2 in Mountain West Conference play. The Aztecs fall to 10-16 on the season and 4-10 in league action.
Senior outside hitter Katherine Whitney tallied a season-high 18 kills, while sophomore middle blocker Mekana Barnes had 17, junior right side hitter Tonya Mokelki had 16 and sophomore outside hitter Jaime Strauss chipped in 13. Freshman libero Katelin Batten tallied a career-high 24 digs, while Whitney added 14, Strauss 12 and sophomore setter Ashley Fornstrom 11. Fornstrom missed a triple-double by one kill as she tallied a career high nine kills as well as 52 assists, and Whitney missed one by two assists as she had eight in the match.
SDSU senior outside hitter Melanie Greene led the match with 22 kills, while senior Audra Dent had 11 and both freshman Stephanie Darnall and junior Lindsey Mahan added 10. Junior libero Aime Cordeiro notched a match-high 25 digs, while Darnall added 19 and Greene had 14.
San Diego State scored the first four points of the match, but a kill by Strauss and an Aztec error pulled the Rams within two, 4-2. After a CSU error, the Rams scored three straight with two kills by Nelson to knot the score at 5-5. The score was again tied at six and seven before the Rams scored seven of eight, with three kills by Barnes to take the 14-8 lead. Greene stopped the Rams streak, but CSU answered with three more straight, including an ace by Whitney for the 17-9 lead. SDSU rallied back, scoring the next four to pull within four at 17-13, but Barnes got a kill and then Nelson and Mokelki combined on a block for the 19-13 lead. The Aztecs scored four of the next five to close within three, 20-17, but three straight Aztec errors gave the Rams the 23-17 advantage. After a SDSU timeout, Whitney tallied a solo block and Fornstrom had one of her three kills for the 25-17 score and the Rams went on two win 30-21. Barnes tallied seven kills in the first frame, while Batten notched 11 digs, keeping her streak of double figure dig matches alive after game one.
Colorado State scored the first three points of the second stanza, but the Aztecs scored three of the next four for the 4-3 CSU lead. After a Dent kill for SDSU, Fornstrom and Whitney tallied back-to-back kills to lead 7-4. The teams traded points, then two CSU errors made the score 8-7. The Rams scored three of the next four to take back a three-point lead at 11-8 and would increase the lead to four at 13-9 with an ace serve by Barnes. The Aztecs scored three of the next four to pull within two at 14-12, but the Rams increased the lead back to four at 17-13. Greene tallied three straight kills and a CSU error knotted the score at 17-17 and the Rams used their first timeout. Barnes got a kill out of the break, then SDSU scored two straight for its first lead of the game, 20-19. The teams traded points to 23-22 when a SDSU ace gave them a two point lead. The teams again traded points to 26-24, when the Rams got consecutive kills by Barnes and Mokelki to tie the score at 26-26. Greene got another Aztec kill, then Mokelki answered and Barnes served an ace to give the Rams the lead back at 28-27, but the Rams could not hold on and lost 31-29. Mokelki led the Rams with five kills in the second game, while Whitney and Strauss each added four. Greene tallied nine four the Aztecs.
The Aztecs scored the first point of game three and the Rams answered with two straight. After the teams traded kills, the Aztecs scored two straight for the 4-3 lead. CSU answered with two straight and then a Lathrop dump tied the score at 5-5, but a kill by Fornstrom, three straight kills and a solo block by Whitney, a Barnes kill and an Aztec error gave the Rams a seven point lead, 12-5. After a SDSU timeout, Barnes got another kill, then the Aztecs scored five of six to close within four, 14-10. Whitney notched yet another kill, followed by a Mokelki put down for the 16-10 lead. The teams then traded points to 19-13, when the Aztecs scored four of five, including two blocks for the 20-17 score when Hilbert called for a break. Whitney put down two more kills, SDSU scored two straight and then a Mokelki kill gave the Rams the 24-18 lead and forced the Aztecs into their final timeout. The teams traded points to 27-20, when Nelson got a kill, combined with Strauss for a block and then Strauss notched a kill for the 30-20 win. Whitney tallied eight kills in the game as the Rams hit .425 for the third stanza.
SDSU took a 3-1 lead in game four, but the Rams tied the score on an ace by Barnes, her third of the match. SDSU again took a two point lead at 5-3 but a kill by Mokelki and a solo block by Strauss tied the score at five all. The score was tied at 6, 7 and 8 before the Rams scored four of the next five to take a three-point lead at 12-9. Barnes got a kill and then Nelson tallied a solo block to pull within one, 12-11. SDSU scored two straight and CSU responded with two of its own, including an ace by Mokelki to make the score 14-13. The teams traded points to 16-15, when the Rams tied the score off an Aztec error. The score was tied at 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 before SDSU scored four of five to lead 25-22 and they went on to win 30-26. Mokelki led the Rams with four kills and the Rams notched four blocks in the fourth game, but could not hold on to win.
Mokelki slammed a kill down the line to start game five and then two Aztec errors gave the Rams the early 3-0 lead and SDSU called a timeout. After the break, the teams traded points to 5-3, when the Rams tallied four straight points with a kill each by Whitney and Strauss and two Aztec errors to lead 9-3. SDSU chipped away at the lead, scoring four of six to close within four, 11-7. After a CSU timeout, Mokelki notched a kill, then SDSU scored two straight and Barnes tallied a kill for the 13-9 lead and the Aztecs called their final timeout. Mahan got a kill for SDSU and then the Aztecs recorded back-to-back blocks to pull within one, 13-12 and Hilbert called his final break. Darnall hit a ball long for the Rams 14th point, then Dent got a kill and after a long rally, Darnall hit another error for the 15-13 Rams victory.
Colorado State will play at UNLV on Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. (Pacific) in its final regular season road match. The Rams then return home to face BYU and Utah in the last weekend of conference play. Both matches are scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
