SDSU VOLLEYBALL FALLS AGAINST SAN JOSE STATE IN SEASON FINALE

Deja Harris breaks school’s career block assists record 

Source: goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

November 17, 2018 (San Diego) - In her final collegiate match, Deja Harris set the new school record for career block assists with 484 in San Diego State volleyball's five-set loss (25-20, 23-25, 26-28, 25-17, 15-12). The Aztecs conclude their season with a 10-21 record, including a 8-10 mark in Mountain West play. 

Harris finished her Senior Day with a match-best 16 kills to go along with a .520 hitting percentage. 

Harris,Tamia Reeves, and Victoria O'Sullivan each recorded three kills in a 25-20 first set win. The Aztecs found themselves in an early hole against the Spartans, as SJSU jumped out to a 6-0 lead to begin the match. The Aztecs slowly chipped away at the early deficit before tying the set at 17-17 before ending the set on an 8-3 win to jump out to a 1-0 advantage.

With the match tied at 1-1, SDSU held match point late in the set after Erin Gillcrist gave the Aztecs a 26-25 lead on her fourth kill of the night, but unfortunatley for SDSU, the Spartans rattled off three consecutive points on kills from Haylee Nelson and Caitlin Bettenay to take a 2-1 edge. 

SDSU put on its most dominant performance on the night in the fourth set, limiting SJSU to a -.028 hitting percentage. Unfortunately for SDSU, SJSU responded to its offensive struggles in the fourth set with a .478 in the fifth set. 

The Aztecs showed their resiliency despite facing a 11-7 hole in the fifth, going on a 5-1 run to cut SJSU's lead to just 13-11 after Harris' third kill of the fifth set. SJSU ended SDSU's chances at a last-second comeback despite Harris' best efforts, winning the fifth, 15-12.

In addition to Harris ending her career in style, the Aztecs saw standout performances from Hannah Turnlund (15 kills), Tamia Reeves (12 kills, .667 hitting percentage), Erin Gillcrist (11 kills) and Gabi Peoples (double double with match-high 33 assists and 14 digs). Loren Teter led the Aztec defense with 15 digs, while Harris led all players with eight blocks. 

SDSU held statistical advantages in hitting percentage (.294 - .247) and blocks (14-8). 

NOTES

• In addition to her career record, Deja Harris' 147 block assists this season rank as the fifth most in a single season in SDSU history. 
• The loss for SDSU snaps a streak of eight consecutive seasons with a conference winning percentage of .500 or better. The only other team to have posted a .500 winning percentage or better in Mountain West play each of the last eight seasons is Colorado State.
• SDSU played in its 11th five-set match of the 2018 season, setting a new school record for most five-set matches in a season. 
• Today's loss marks as SDSU's first of the season when recording a better hitting percentage and more blocks than their opponent.