Boise State Outlasts Fresno State in Five

Thursday, November 1

Fresno, Calif.

8:00 PM

Boise State

Fresno State

Photo by: Boise State University

11/2/2018 12:02:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Final Box (PDF)

Hughes has double-double 13 kills and 16 digs, and hits a season-high 63.2 percent to lead Broncos in win.

By: Courtesy: Boise State Athletics

FRESNO, Calif. - Morgan Hughes had a big night recording her third double-double of the season on 13 kills and 16 digs to help Boise State outlast Fresno State on the road Thursday night in five sets 25-17, 20-25, 25-23, 14-25, 15-10. It was another classic battle between the two programs as momentum swung back and forth from set to set with the Broncos dominating the first and third, while Fresno State rallied each time by controlling the second and fourth to force the match into a decisive fifth period.

Boise State opened the fifth racing out to a 3-0 lead only to see the Bulldogs rally. Fresno State rolled off a 6-1 run to go up 6-4 and was leading 8-6 when the blue and orange came back. Boise State countered with a 9-2 run down the stretch with Janell Walley and Jessica Donahue providing the match clinching point with a block on Fresno State's final attack by Kava Durr.

S5 (BSU 3-2) | Boise State wins (3-2) its 10th straight match over Fresno State tonight, hand Bulldogs first home loss in league play ... Broncos are 15-9 overall, 7-6 in MW!#BleedBlue @BroncoSports @MW_OlySports Go Broncos!! pic.twitter.com/nLOjbzXfpx
— Boise State VB (@BroncoSportsVB) November 2, 2018

"I'm proud with how the team hung in there and battled back for the win tonight," said Boise State head coach Shawn Garus. "I thought both teams struggled to maintain momentum longer than a set tonight in a match that went back and forth. It was a big win for us on the road against one of the better teams in the standings. I thought our seniors Morgan (Hughes) and Sabryn (Roberts) were big for us again and came through when we needed them, Morgan hit the ball extremely well tonight! Now we have to focus on putting back-to-back road matches together as we have another tough match Saturday night at San Diego State."

The victory improved the Broncos to 15-9 overall and 7-6 in Mountain West Conference action. It was also the 10th-consecutive win over Fresno State; the first home loss for the Bulldogs (17-8, 9-3 MW) in league play this season; clinched Boise State its fifth-consecutive winning season and head coach Shawn Garus his eighth winning season in 10 years at Boise State.

Tonight when the Broncos were struggling they went to Hughes in the middle and she did not disappoint. The senior finished the night hitting a season-high 63.2 percent for the 13 kills, she made only one hitting error on 19 attacks. In addition, she had team highs for kills (tied), digs (16) and service aces with four. For good measure she added five blocks — one solo — and finished with a team-high 20 points.

Sabryn Roberts was steady once again tying Hughes for the team-high in kills with 13. The senior added five digs and three blocks to finish with 14.5 points.

SHE'S BAACK, Janell Walley — seeing her first match in three weeks — was a big impact hitting 27.3 percent for nine kills to go with two assists, 11 digs and six blocks.

S5 (BSU 3-2) | BRONCOS WIN IN FIVE as Donahue and Walley get a block for the clinching point 15-10 and 3-2 over Fresno State!!! NICE JOB BRONCOS!!!#BleedBlue @BroncoSports @MW_OlySports Go Broncos!! pic.twitter.com/ZduNS3Bgb9
— Boise State VB (@BroncoSportsVB) November 2, 2018

Joining Hughes as a force in the middle at the net was Jessica Donahue. The freshman — playing with one hand wrapped heavily in tape — was a force for the Broncos finishing with seven kills and a team-high seven blocks, her 12th match with six or more blocks.

Cassedi Simon recorded her third double-double in the match dishing out a team-high 38 assists to go with her 14 digs. She also had the set-clinching point in the first set when the sophomore perfectly placed a touch kill over the defense into an open space on the Bulldogs' side.

Defensively, freshman Jessie Brigham tallied 15 digs to go with six assists and one service ace.

Boise State finished the match hitting 18.7 percent as a team for 50 kills on 50 assists, in addition to six service aces, 66 digs and 14 blocks. The Broncos are now 15-1 on the year when holding their opponents below 20 percent hitting.

Fresno State finished the night hitting 15 percent, the second lowest hitting percentage of the year for the Bulldogs — the third lowest percentage was 15.3 percent in their loss at Boise State on Oct. 6. Fresno State had 59 kills on 56 assists, five services aces, 68 digs and nine blocks.

Next up for the Broncos is a match at San Diego State Saturday night.