By Nick Austin – Spear Reporter | SJSU senior Brooke Slusser setting during a match (Photo by Taylor Cowhey- The Spear Guest Photographer)
San Jose State women’s volleyball (4-0) remains undefeated after a 3-0 win over Delaware (2-3) at the Hawkeye Invite.
Spartans sophomore outside hitter Nayeli Ti’a led the team with 18 kills, 14 digs, and 20 points. This is back-to-back games for Ti’a with 15+ kills and 10+ digs. After a somewhat slow start to the season in her first two games, Ti’a seems to have found a rhythm.
“Ti’a had another great performance, so that’s two back-to-back for her,” SJSU head coach Todd Kress said. “Very proud of the numbers she’s putting up in the early pre-season.”
SJSU senior setter Brooke Slusser made her presence known with 24 assists and eight digs.
Both teams kept it close in the first set with neither pulling away. The Spartans would eventually go on a 5-0 scoring run which would help propel themselves to an overall 25-18 set victory.
SJSU led the second set 16-14 and would pull away from Delaware with a 6-0 scoring run. The Hens tried to mount a comeback, outscoring the Spartans 4-3 late in the set, but were unable and the Spartans won set two 25-19.
The third and final set featured SJSU being down 13-7 early on. The Spartans went on a 8-1 scoring run which swung momentum and took a 23-17 lead before a Delaware timeout. Delaware cut the lead to four, but SJSU prevailed and won the set 25-20 and the overall match win.
SJSU’s 43-30 kill advantage and 12-4 block advantage over Delaware was key throughout the game, especially down the stretch.
“We out-blocked them 12-4 and out-dug them by five so I thought that our defensive effort on both sides of the ball was at a very high point,” Kress said.
The Spartans’ next match is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Sunday versus California Baptist at Xtream Arena, which will conclude their trip at the Hawkeye Invite.
