SDSU Beats San Jose State in Women’s Volleyball With Protesters in the Stands
San Diego State University’s women’s volleyball team defeated San Jose State University in a thrilling five-set match on Friday, October 21, 2023.
The Aztecs won the match by scores of 25-23, 23-25, 25-18, 22-25, and 15-12.
The match was played in front of a raucous crowd at SDSU’s Viejas Arena, including several protesters who were demonstrating against the university’s decision to host a volleyball tournament involving a team from Israel.
The protesters, who were members of the campus group Students for Justice in Palestine, held signs and chanted slogans during the match, calling on the university to cancel the tournament.
The university has said that it will not cancel the tournament, which is scheduled to take place on October 28-29. The tournament will feature teams from SDSU, San Jose State, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Hawai'i.
Despite the protests, the match was played without incident.
The Aztecs took an early lead in the first set, but the Spartans rallied to tie the score at 23-23. The Aztecs then won the next two points to take the set.
The Spartans won the second set, but the Aztecs came back to win the third set and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
The Spartans won the fourth set to tie the match at 2-2, but the Aztecs won the fifth and deciding set to clinch the victory.
Aztecs outside hitter Victoria O'Sullivan led the team with 20 kills, while middle blocker Kendall White added 15 kills and 10 blocks.
Spartans outside hitter Megan Fudge led her team with 18 kills, while middle blocker Haylee Nelson added 12 kills and 10 blocks.
The Aztecs improved to 16-6 overall and 8-1 in the Mountain West Conference with the victory. The Spartans fell to 10-12 overall and 4-5 in the MWC.
