by BOISE, Idaho – The Nevada volleyball team completed the road upset over Boise State on Thursday night, winning three sets to one. The win marks the first over the Broncos since Oct. 1, 2016. The Pack are now, 12-3, 2-1 in the Mountain West; continuing to match the 2001 overall record.
Kili Robins had a career night notching 18 kills with only six errors for a team high hitting percentage of 35.3 while Kayla Afoa recorded her 10th double-double of the season with 16 kills and a team high 19 digs. Dalyn Burns (Western Shoshone) was not far behind, tallying a season high assist number with 59.
Right-side hitter, Kassie McGill also recorded double digit kills with 12, the junior was responsible for three block assists with Sydney Petersen at her side. The freshman, Petersen, along with Brianna Souza each recorded nine kills in the match.
As a team, Nevada tallied a season high number of assists with 66, Burns responsible for 59 of those. The team also held the Broncos to just 39 kills while racking up 66; however Boise State out blocked Nevada, 18 to seven.
The first set was all Nevada as the Pack never trailed to the Broncos. Ryan Blackwood was behind the service line for three straight points before a service ace from Souza catapulted Nevada to a 9-4 lead. It was back-and-forth points until Boise State forced a timeout from Nevada after going on a 4-0 run, 19-14, Nevada. McGill came in clutch and sealed the set with her fourth kill of the match.
The second set was similar in that Nevada won, but it was not as smooth as the first. Boise State held the lead until a kill from Petersen tied it up, 6-6 and an attack error from the Broncos lifted the Pack, 7-6. Once Nevada secured the lead, it never gave it up. A 5-0 scoring run, all with Afoa at the service line, forced Boise State to call a timeout. However, the timeout did not slow the momentum of the Pack. With the 24-22 lead, McGill yet again seals the set and Nevada goes up, 2-0.
Boise State took the third set but Nevada answered back in the fourth. The Broncos had the lead through most of the set with the largest deficit for the Pack being five points at the 12-9 mark. Freshman, Mandalay Rennon with her second ace of the night launched Nevada into the lead, 19-17, and Boise State called timeout. Just three points later, the Broncos called another timeout with Nevada up, 21-18. Three straight points for the girls in blue caused Lee Nelson to call his first timeout of the set, 22-21, Boise State.
It all came down to the final moments of the match, both teams had used both timeouts and it was tied, 22-22 after another Boise State block. Nevada was resilient and punched the last three points to win it in four.
