MOSCOW, Idaho ? The University of Idaho volleyball team's streak of consecutive sweeps ended at two, but the Vandals found a way to earn the all-important win in a five-game marathon with San Jose State Thursday.

The Vandals (9-9, 5-2) went ahead 2-0 with two 30-27 wins, but San Jose State (7-11, 1-6) rebounded to earn a 30-23 win in the third game. Idaho had a 29-27 match point, but couldn't finish in a 36-34 loss in game four, but the Vandals regrouped to put away the Spartans with a 15-9 score in game five.

“This was an important win for us,” Idaho coach Debbie Buchanan said. “San Jose State's record is misleading and we knew they were going to be a tough opponent. If we could have kept up our intensity and stayed in system like we did in the last game we could have gotten out of there with the sweep, but we are glad to get the win no matter what.”

With the win, the Vandals have now won six of their last seven games and earned a .500 record for the first time since the 2005 season. Idaho also stayed perfect in matches in which they led 2-0 or went to five games.

Haley Larsen had her second match with 30 or more kills as she finished with 31 kills, 19 digs and four service aces. She hit .253 for the match. Sarah Loney and Sarah Conwell each added 16 kills and Debbie Pederson chipped in 10 kills. Kelsey James finished with a career-high 71 assists and Kelsey Yonker had 31 digs to tie for seventh on Idaho's single-match digs list. Anna McKinney also added a career-high 11 blocks to become the first Vandals to earn 10 or more blocks this season.

As a team, the Vandals outhit the Spartans .194 to .179 and held a 15.0-12.0 advantage in blocks.

Idaho returns to Memorial Gym to face No. 12 Hawai`i in Western Athletic Conference action Saturday at 7 p.m. All fans with a ticket stub from the Idaho-Fresno State football game will be admitted to the volleyball match for only $2.