Ags down Spartans in volleyball

LOGAN — Senior Zuzana Cernianska recorded a match-high 28 kills to lead the Utah State women's volleyball team to a four-game win, 30-20, 26-30, 30-28, 30-27, against San Jose State Saturday night.

USU improved to 11-7 overall and 5-1 in the Western Athletic Conference with the win, while SJSU falls to 7-9 overall and 2-2 in league play.

Cernianska recorded eight kills and three service aces to lead the Aggies to an easy 10-point win as USU hit .533 in the first game.

San Jose State rebounded with a four-point win in Game 2 behind six kills from sophomore Jennifer Senftleben.

In the third game, the Spartans jumped out to a commanding 15-7 lead and held a 27-22 advantage before Utah State scored eight of the final nine points to record the two-point win. Cernianska notched 10 kills in the game.

Utah State opened an six-point lead in the fourth game before the Spartans rallied to take its first lead at 16-15.

Tied at 27, USU closed out the contest with three straight points on an attack error by SJSU followed by two service aces from redshirt sophomore Beth Hodge to give the Aggies the win.

Hodge finished the match with 17 kills and a career-high 18 digs, while Cernianska added 15 digs and hit .460 in the contest. Senior Erin Graybill added 12 kills and hit a match-high .550, while senior Ingrid Roth had eight kills and a career-high nine blocks.

Senftleben led San Jose State with 18 kills, while junior Jessie Shull had a team-high 14 digs.

Utah State hit .293 in the match and held San Jose State to a .184 hitting percentage. USU also recorded 19 more kills (73-54) and eight more digs (63-55), and out-blocked the Spartans 14.5 to 8.0.

Utah State returns to action on Monday at Utah Valley State before returning to WAC play on Saturday at Nevada.