Oct. 25, 2003
SAN DIEGO - After a sluggish start, San Diego State came alive to defeat UNLV, 3-1 (30-25, 24-30, 30-21, 30-16) Friday night in Peterson Gym. In the process, the Aztecs improved to 13-10 on the year and evened their Mountain West Conference record at 4-4. The loss dropped the Rebels to 9-11 on the year and 2-6 in league play.
San Diego State was led by the hitting and blocking of senior Megan Schauermann, who finished the match with a dozen kills, 10 blocks and a .579 hitting percentage. Aspen McPartland contributed 13 kills, and her nine digs enabled her to reach the 1,000 career dig plateau.
UNLV's Patricia Assuncao and Sheila Ocasio-Clemente shared match-high honors with 14 kills apiece. Senior Leiana Oswald added 13 kills as the Rebels totaled 55 for the match compared to SDSU's 54.
Game one was a seesaw affair that saw neither offense able to take control. SDSU hit just .056 for the game, but UNLV fared little better at .083. After the Aztecs came back from a 6-2 deficit with five straight points behind a pair of kills and a block by McPartland, the contest turned into a back-and-forth affair. The teams traded points, with neither side having more than a one-point lead up until 19-all. SDSU took a 21-19 lead, only to see the Rebels knot the score at 21-21. San Diego State then ran off five straight points, led by Melissa Cansdale's two blocks and a kill.
In the second game, the visitors race out to a 16-4 lead behind the hitting of Ocasio-Clemente and Assuncao, only to see SDSU score eight consecutive points to pull within four. However, the Aztecs could get no closer a UNLV regained control and went on to the six-point victory.
In game three, the Aztec took a 9-2 lead, led by McPartland and Schauermann plus the blocking of Melissa Cansdale. The Rebels got as close as three points at 19-16, but SDSU pulled away down the stretch with three straight kills by Zlatina Anguelova and an ace by Sara Engstrom to close out the contest.
San Diego State finally found its offensive rhythm in the fourth game, hitting .577 with 18 kills and only three attack errors. Leading 10-7, the Aztecs scored nine of the next 10 points to establish an 11-point lead and go on the win the game and match. McPartland had five kills while Anguelova and Schauermann had four apiece.
Up next for the Aztecs is a home match against league-leading Colorado State (ranked 18th in the nation this week) on Thursday (Oct. 30) at 7:00 p.m. in Peterson Gym.