Sept. 15, 2003
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AZTECS RETURN HOME TO FACE SAN DIEGO, HARVARD
After a string of nine straight matches on the road, San Diego State returns to Peterson Gym this week for a pair of home contests.
The Aztecs open against cross-town rival University of San Diego on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 7:00 p.m.
Home action continues for the Aztecs two days later when they face Harvard on Thursday, Sept. 18. Start time for that match is 5:00 p.m.
Following this week's pair of contests in Peterson Gym, SDSU will be away from Montezuma Mesa for its next four matches and will not return for a home contest until October 7th.
SERIES RECORDS
San Diego State hold a 24-15 advantage in its series with University of San Diego over the years. However, since 1997, the Toreros have been victorious in 10 of the 11 meetings between the schools. The Aztecs broke an eight-match losing streak at the hands of USD when they defeated their cross-town rival early in 2001. The Toreros have won the most recent three matches.
This week's matchup with Harvard will be the first-ever meeting between the Aztecs and Crimson on the volleyball court.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
The University of San Diego has climbed into the national rankings this week, sitting in the number-21 spot in the AVCA poll. The Toreros have won four matches in a row including a victory over 19th-ranked Long Beach State. USD is led offensively by freshman middle hitter Christie Dawson (3.31 kpg, 0.94 bpg, .390 hitting percentage) and junior outside hitter Devon Forster (4.81 kpg, 2.31 dpg). The Toreros are holding their opponents to just a .154 hitting percentage on the season.
Harvard has played only three matches this season and is 1-2 in those contests. They opened the season last weekend by hosting their own New England Challenge tournament. In that event, they defeated Colgate in three games and lost to both Furman and Towson in five. The Crimson is led by Nilly Schweitzer (3.38 kpg, .2.54 dpg, 320 hitting percentage) and Mariah Pospisil (2.23 kpg, 0.92 bpg). That duo is among nine players on Harvard's 12-person roster from California. Sarah Cebron is a 5-7 setter from La Jolla (Bishops HS).
MOST RECENTLY
SDSU went 3-1 at last week's Green Valley Restaurant Volleyball Classic at Wichita State.
The Aztecs began the tourney with a 3-0 (30-21, 30-15, 30-24) win over North Texas. Melissa Cansdale, Megan Schauermann and Zlatina Anguelova had 10 kills apiece had 12 and 10 respectively. SDSU hit .295 for the match while holding North Texas to a .095 attack percentage.
In its second match, San Diego State disposed of Nicholls State in four games (30-19, 30-18, 29-31, 30-13). Aspen McPartland paced the Aztecs with 15 kills while Anguelova chipped in with 10. Both players recorded double-doubles with 13 and 12 digs respectively.
San Diego State opened day two of the tournament with a 3-1 (23-30, 30-26, 30-24, 30-19) win over Oral Roberts. McPartland and Anguelova again led SDSU with 19 and 14 kills while Kara Moriarty finished the match with 15 kills and 13 digs.
In its final contest of the tourney, SDSU dropped a four-game match to host Wichita State (29-31, 23-30, 31-29, 30-22). McPartland had 17 kills and Melissa Cansdale contributed 10, but San Diego State hit just .115 for the match.
HEAD COACH MARK WARNER
San Diego State head coach Mark Warner is in his ninth season at the helm of the Aztec women's program. His career record over that span stands at 146-112 (.566).
Over the past eight years, Warner has led his teams to a pair of NCAA Tournament berths and a Western Athletic Conference championship. His has produced 13 all-conference players as well as a pair of league players of the year, a setter of the year, and a defensive player of the year.
MCPARTLAND EARNS HONOR
Senior Aspen McPartland was named to the all-tournament team at the Green Mill Restaurant Volleyball Classic at Wichita State last week.
In four matches, the middle blocker from San Diego (Grossmont HS) averaged 3.87 kills, 2.53 digs and 1.27 blocks. She also hit .357 for the tourney, which matched her overall attack percentage for the season.
It was the second week in a row that McPartland was named to an all-tourney team as she was selected for that honor at the Four Points University Wildcat Classic at Arizona the previous weekend.
CAREER MILESTONE
McPartland picked up the 1,000th kill of her Aztec career in last Friday's match against Nicholls State.
Entering this week, she now has accumulated 1,047 kills during her four seasons at SDSU.
She has a chance to enter the Aztec top 10 in career kills before the end of this season. The number-10 spot is currently occupied by Angela Martin (1987-90) with 1,279 kills.
ALL-TOURNEY ANGUELOVA
Outside hitter Zlatina Anguelova was named to the all-tournament team at last weekend's Wichita State tourney.
Over four matches, she averaged 2.80 kills, 2.47 digs, and 0.47 blocks per game.
Anguelova had a string of seven straight double-figure kill matches broken when she was held to eight vs. Wichita State.
Anguelova will join McPartland in reaching the 1,000 career kill milestone in the near future. The senior begins the week with a total of 944 career kills.
MORIARTY EMERGES
Outside hitter Kara Moriarty appears to have inherited the starting spot vacated by the departed Rochelle Currier. She has started all 11 matches this season after compiling four starts in her previous two years as an Aztec.
At last weekend's tournament, she averaged at 2.20 kills per game, 2.47 digs per game, and just under half a block per game.
Moriarty set career highs in kills in back-to-back matches when she had 17 against both Hofstra and 10th-ranked Arizona two weeks ago. She has hit .344 or better in a match five times in 2003.
ENGSTROM SETS IT UP
Sara Engstrom has taken over the role of starting setter this season, replacing 2002 MWC Setter of the Year Melissa Wright. Engstrom totaled just under 1,000 assists in two seasons at Portland before coming to the Aztecs last season when she served primarily as back row player.
Despite her 5-8 height, she has proven a highly effective blocker. At last weekend's tourney at Wichita State, she averaged a block a game. Her season blocking average stands at 0.80 bpg.
Engstrom also has 13 service aces this season, one behind team leader Robyn Gregg, who has 14 through 11 matches.
SCHAUERMANN SHINES
Middle blocker Megan Schauermann made another strong showing at last week's tournament in Wichita.
She averaged 2.33 kills per game and 1.87 blocks per game over the four matches.
Schauermann also hit .309 during the tournament.
She tied her career high in kills with 13 against 20th-ranked Santa Clara on Sept. 5.
Schauermann has recorded at least three blocks in each of the Aztecs' first 11 matches and averages a team-leading 1.62 bpg.
ON THE BLOCKS
During last week's four tourney matches in Wichita, SDSU record 55 team blocks compared to 32.5 by opponents, an average if 5.6 more per match.
Three Aztecs are averaging over a block per game early in the 2003 season: seniors Megan Schauermann (1.62 bpg), Melissa Cansdale (1.39 bpg) and Aspen McPartland (1.23 bpg). All thee improved their season averages during last weekend's four matches.
After 11 matches this season, SDSU is averaging 3.28 blocks per game. Last week, the Aztecs' 3.04 bpg average ranked 14th in the nation. NCAA stats are updated on Tuesday each week, but SDSU's average of 3.28 would have ranked ninth in the nation last week.
EARLY MWC LEADERS
Several Aztecs rank among the Mountain West Conference leaders after the opening three weeks of the season.
Megan Schauermann ranks first in blocks (1.62 bpg) while Melissa Cansdale is fourth (1.39 bpg) and Aspen McPartland is fifth (1.23).
McPartland's .357 hitting percentage is second-best in the league this week while Schauermann's .291 ranks 10th. Sara Engstrom's 11.60 assist per game average places her fifth.
As a team, SDSU ranks first in blocks (3.28 bpg).
PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATIONS
For the fourth year in a row, the Mountain West Conference coaches' poll has predicted the Aztecs to finish fourth in the league. SDSU finished second in 2002 after placing fourth each of the previous two seasons.
Utah is picked to win the league title this year, followed by Colorado State and Brigham Young. The results of the preseason poll is as follows:
Team (1st-pl. votes) Pts.1. Utah (5)..............472. Colorado State (1)....413. Brigham Young.........364. San Diego State (1)...355. UNLV....................236. Wyoming...............227. New Mexico............138. Air Force..............7
ON THE CHARTS
Two current Aztecs appear on SDSU's top 10 career lists.
Aspen McPartland is 10th in career digs with 930. The number-nine spot is held by Jennifer Miller (1989-92) with 941.
Robyn Gregg is seventh on the service ace list with a career total of 152. Martina Vitkova-Engels (1994-97) is sixth with 154.
Megan Schauermann is fast approaching the top 10 in block assists. Her career total of 285 entering the week is nearing Kris Morton's (1985-87) 10th-ranked figure of 299 career block assists.
TEAM NOTES
Through the first seven matches (40 games) of the season, the Aztecs have committed just four ball handling errors compare to 29 by opponents
SDSU is averaging over a block more per game than opponents (3.28 bpg to 2.01 bpg).
The Wichita State contest ended a string of seven straight matches in which the Aztecs had recorded more blocks than their opponent.
SDSU's four-match winning streak earlier this season was the team's longest since it opened the 2001 campaign with five consecutive victories.
PLAYER NOTES
Megan Schauermann, Aspen McPartland and Zlatina Anguelova have all recorded at least one block in each match this season.
Senior Natalie Sande played in every game during last weekend's tournament, averaging 2.07 digs per game as a back row player. She recorded her personal bests as an Aztec (two seasons) in the final two matches last weekend with 10 digs vs. Oral Roberts and 11 vs. Wichita State.
Melissa Cansdale is averaging over a block-and-a-half per game (1.63) in San Diego States most recent six matches.
Primarily a back row defensive specialist during her SDSU career, Robyn Gregg's three kills vs. Wichita State was not only a season high, but also tied her career best as an Aztec. The last time she had three kills in a match came on Nov. 9, 2002, at UNLV. Her four service aces against Wichita State was also a season best.
UP NEXT
San Diego State begins a string of four straight road matches when it travels to 25th-ranked Loyola Marymount next Wednesday (Sept. 24) for a 6:00 p.m. match.
The Aztecs open their 2003 Mountain West Conference season two days later (Sept. 26) when they visit UNLV for a match scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m.