Oct. 19, 2002
SAN DIEGO - Led by a 23-kill performance from junior Zlatina Anguelova, San Diego State overcame a stubborn New Mexico team, 3-1 (32-30, 26-30, 30-24, 30-22), Saturday night at SDSU's Peterson Gym. With the win, the Aztecs improved to 15-9 on the year and 6-1 in the Mountain West Conference. Their conference record at the midway point of the league season has them tied for the top spot in the MWC with Colorado State. The loss dropped the Lobos to 6-14 (1-6 MWC).
Anguelova's kill total was one shy of her career high of 24 set last season against UNLV. She recorded her ninth double-double of the season with10 digs. She was joined by three other Aztecs in double figures in kills on the night: Rochelle Currier (16), Nicole Akporiaye (12) and Aspen McPartland (11).
Anna Reines led UNM with 21 kills while teammates Vanessa Shields and Staci Masten finished with 13 and 11 kills respectively.
The Lobo's effort on the evening belied their seventh-place league standing entering the match as they stayed with the Aztecs in game one, forcing the home team to work overtime for the two-point win at 32-30. UNM led most of the way in game two, eventually securing a four-point win and evening the match at a game apiece.
From there, Anguelova took charge, producing 15 of her 23 kills over the final two games to lead the Aztecs to victory. In both contests, SDSU jumped out to a six-point lead midway through each game and went on to win comfortably.
San Diego State continues Mountain West Conference play next weekend with a trip to Utah where they will face Utah on Friday (Oct. 25) and Brigham Young on Saturday (Oct. 26).