Sept. 25, 2002
SAN DIEGO - Loyola Marymount thwarted a spirited San Diego State comeback and edged the Aztecs, 3-2 (30-28, 30-19, 26-30, 24-30, 16-14), Wednesday evening in Peterson Gym. SDSU had fought back from a 2-0 deficit before falling just short in the fifth game of the match. With the win, the Lions improved to 9-3 on the year while the Aztecs fell to 9-7.
Loyola's Kristen Gallup led all players with 23 kills and was one of eight players (four from each team) to finish the night in double figures in that category.
SDSU's Zlatina Anguelova (16 kills/14 digs) and Aspen McPartland (15 kills/14 digs) finished with double-doubles for the Aztecs. Rochelle Currier and Megan Schauermann had 11 and 10 kills respectively for SDSU.
Game one was a close affair that saw LMU hold the lead throughout much of the contest. Trailing by three late in the contest, the Aztecs scored three straight points, two on kills by Melissa Cansdale, to knot the score at 28-28. But Loyola's Gallup hit her seventh kill of the game and the Lions got their fifth team block to put the game away. Schauermann and McPartland had five kills apiece for San Diego State.
The second game saw San Diego State jump out to a 7-2 before the Lions went on a 10-2 run behind the hitting and blocking of freshman Michelle Look to take go ahead 12-9. It was a lead they would not relinquish as they on to an 11-point win. Gallup again tallied seven kills for LMU while the Aztecs were led by four from Zlatina Anguelova.
In game three, the Aztecs rode the hitting of Rochelle Currier (eight kills) and Anguelova (six kills) to win a contest in which they led most of the way. Look led the Lions with five kills while Gallup continued her strong play with four kills and three blocks.
A run of five straight points midway through game four gave SDSU an 18-13 lead and the Lions never got closer than two after that point. The Aztec were led by the hitting of Aspen McPartland (four kills) and the blocking of Nicole Akporiaye (three blocks).
The deciding game saw the re-emergence of Gallup at the next for Loyola Marymount. She scored five of LMU's final seven points with three kills and a pair of blocks. SDSU had one chance at match point, leading 14-13, when a serve into the net gave LMU the tying point. The Lions finished off the match on an Aztec hitting error and a block point for the win.
Up next for San Diego State is its Mountain West Conference opener against Brigham Young this Friday, Sept. 27, at 7:00 p.m. in Peterson Gym.