SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Despite double-doubles from seniors Laura Beach and Courtney Chacon, the University of Wyoming women’s volleyball team fell in a five-set heartbreaker (25-18, 25-14, 20-25, 18-25, 12-15) to San Diego State (15-14, 7-8 MW) on Saturday evening.

It was the fifth time this season the match came down to the final set for the Cowgirls (17-11, 10-5 MW).

Beach’s 13 kills and ten blocks qualified for her first double-double of the season and just the second of her career. Chacon dished out a match-best 36 assists in addition to 12 digs for the Brown and Gold. It was her team-leading ninth double-double of the season.

Freshman Madi Fields posted a career-high 23 digs for UW as fellow freshman Halie McArdle dropped a career-best eight kills and three blocks during the match.

Senior Kayla Slofkiss and freshman Tara Traphagan were close behind with seven kills a piece on Saturday night. Slofkiss also had 11 digs and tied her career-high with seven total blocks. Furthermore, Traphagan tied her career-best with seven blocks against SDSU.

Sophomore’s Emily Lewis and Reed Copeland each recorded four kills for the Cowgirls. Copeland was one block away from double-digits against the Aztecs. Additionally, junior Lily Austin added five digs for Wyoming on Saturday night.

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Set Breakdown

Set one: Beach got things started for the Brown and Gold. She smashed home her first kill to give Wyoming a 1-0 advantage. Points were traded up until SDSU called time with Wyoming ahead, 11-8. The Cowgirls then recorded seven of the next eight points before the Aztecs called another timeout. Wyoming ended up taking the opening set, 25-18. Traphagan led the way with four kills. Chacon passed out ten assists as Fields posted eight digs.

Set two: Momentum continued for UW into the second set as the Cowgirls earned the first three points. Beach and Traphagan each recorded a kill to help UW claim the early advantage. Two straight kills from Beach then gave UW a 5-2 advantage. The Aztecs called the first timeout of the second set as UW held a lead of 12-6. Wyoming cruised through the remainder of the set and took the win by score of 25-14. Chacon was two digs away from her double-double at the break. She had 17 assists and eight digs to lead the Brown and Gold.

Set three: SDSU came out with a punch in the third set. They held leads of 4-1 and 9-5 before UW called the first timeout. The Aztecs went on an 8-6 run before Wyoming called its final timeout of the set down 11-17. The Aztecs had set point up, 24-15, only to see the Cowgirls run away with five-straight points. SDSU eventually took the third set, 25-20. Beach led the way with four kills in the third set as Chacon recorded seven assists for Wyoming.

Set four: Fields started the scoring for UW in the fourth set with her first and only service ace of the evening. SDSU cruised out to a 10-6 lead thanks in part to three-straight kills. UW called timeout down, 7-11. With SDSU ahead 17-12, UW took three-straight to cut the Aztecs lead to two, 17-15. San Diego State then went on an 8-3 run to even the set score at two. Emily Lewis had three kills for UW in the fourth frame as Chacon had six assists and three digs.

Set five: After going back and forth to open the final stanza, a kill from Slofkiss tied the score at three, while another kill from Beach tied it back at six. UW then called timeout down, 6-8. San Diego State again held a lead of 12-9 before Wyoming called its second timeout. The Aztecs would eventually take the final set and match by a score of 15-12. Beach and Slofkiss each had two kills during the last set.

The Cowgirls are back on the road for a Wednesday evening matchup with the Air Force Falcons. The match will begin at 6:00 p.m. MT.

Notes

-Kayla Slofkiss moved into tenth all-time with 921 career digs while wearing the Brown and Gold. She moved past Anna Parmely (1995-98). Additionally, it was the 11th match of the year for Slofkiss with double-digit digs.

-Laura Beach is now fifth all-time with 425 total blocks. Katie Donahue (1984-88) was fifth all-time with 419 blocks. Additionally, Beach is now 43 kills away from 1,000 for her career. She continues to hold the top spot in career hitting percentage (.372) and after tonight’s match, her .404 attacking percentage this year is third-best in a single season.

-Courtney Chacon remains in sixth place in Cowgirl history with 3,240 career assists. She is just behind Kayla Slofkiss for 11th all-time with 919 career digs. Chacon leads all active MW players with 36 career double-doubles. She needs two more double-doubles to be tied tenth all-time in MW history.

-The 23 digs from Madi Fields was the most digs by a UW player this season. Lily Austin had previously held the high with 21 digs, which she recorded against Idaho on Sept. 15.

-Wyoming recorded 21 total team blocks against the Aztecs on Saturday night. The previous season-high was 18 during the first meeting with San Diego State on Oct. 13.

-The Cowgirls finished tonight’s match with 60 total digs. Only twice this season Wyoming has recorded 60 or more assists during a match. UW recorded 61 and 62 against Utah State on Oct. 1 and Oct. 25, respectively.