By Aidan Bostic (@aidan_bostic) – Spear Reporter
SJSU volleyball (8-4, 2-0 MW) defeated Fresno State (6-8, 0-2 MW), 3-2, in a monumental comeback win.
Senior outside hitter Amethyst Harper was the kill leader for the Spartans with 16 on .400% hitting. Harper is originally from Fresno, and it was only right that she led the way in her homecoming game.
The first set was filled with coach’s challenges from SJSU volleyball head coach Trent Kersten. Although he lost his first challenge, he won his second challenge on a crucial call to tie the set at 23. Kersten would immediately challenge a net violation on the next point, but he lost the challenge and had no more for the remainder of the match.
The Spartans went back and forth with the Bulldogs and the set was tied at 27. SJSU lost the next two points and lost the set, 29-27.
Harper got seven of her kills in the first set alone, but it was not enough to take the lead.
In the second set, the Spartans were down early to a Bulldogs team that was firing on all cylinders. SJSU lost the set, 25-12, and never seemed to get in rhythm. The Spartans were down 0-2 early and they had a lot of fighting to do.
Despite a lopsided second set, SJSU volleyball came out like a new team in the third set. The Spartans jumped out to a 6-2 lead and did not look back. Fifth-year outside hitter Haylee Nelson was awoken in the third set after struggling through the first two and SJSU won the set, 25-12.
The Spartans carried that momentum into the fourth set and continued to put the pressure on the Bulldogs. SJSU won the set, 25-19, and tied the match, 2-2. The service for the Spartans picked up and allowed them to get back into it.
The Spartans won the fifth and final set, 15-8, behind some clutch defense. After going down 2-0, SJSU volleyball was able to mount a comeback with some cohesive team play.
Redshirt sophomore Blaire Fleming was named the Mountain West Player of the Week and she showed everyone why. She had 15 kills of her own and anytime the Spartans needed a point, she stepped up.
Junior middle blocker Jiana Lawson also came up big with 10 kills on .714% hitting.
SJSU has shown that they are a resilient team that can compete down to the wire. After losing the first two sets, SJSU was able to come together and win, regardless of the slow start.
The Spartans move up to 8-4 on the season and 2-0 in conference play.
SJSU volleyball plays Boise State at Yoshihiro Uchida Hall on Thursday, Sept. 29 at 6 p.m.