Nov. 17, 2004
Complete Release and Season Statistics in PDF Format
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TOURNEY TIME
* The Aztecs will travel to Fort Collins, Colo, for the sixth annual Mountain West Conference Volleyball Championship tournament hosted by Colorado State beginning on Thursday with all eight league teams participating. * San Diego State earned the tourney's number-six seed by finishing six in the final league standings. As such, it will face third-seeded Brigham Young on Thursday, Nov. 18, at 4:00 p.m. (MST) in the first round in CSU's Moby Arena. * Should they defeat BYU, the Aztecs would advance to the semifinals against the winner of the Colorado State-New Mexico match. That semifinal match would be played on Friday (Nov. 29) at 3:30 p.m.
TOURNAMENT BRACKET
* The MWC Volleyball Championship gets underway on Thursday when Utah and Air Force square off at 11:00 a.m. (MST). The compete tournament schedule is as follows:
Nov. 18 G1..#1 Utah vs. #8 Air Force.................11:00 a.m. G2..#4 UNLV vs. #5 Wyoming....................1:30 p.m. G3..#3 Brigham Young vs. #6 San Diego State...4:00 p.m. G4..#2 Colorado State vs. #7 New Mexico.......7:00 p.m.Nov. 19 G5..Winner G1 vs. Winner G2...................1:00 p.m. G6..Winner G3 vs. Winner G4...................3:30 p.m.Nov. 20 G7..Winner G5 vs. Winner G6...................3:00 p.m.
TOURNAMENT TELEVISION
* The 2004 MWC Tournament will be broadcast locally on Channel 4 San Diego.
* All matches will be shown live with the excepiton of the final match on Thursday (Colorado State vs. New Mexico). That contest will be televised on a tape-delayed basis at 11:00 p.m. in San Diego that same evening.
TOURNAMENTS PAST
* The Mountain West Conference has seen three teams capture the title in the first five years of its postseason tournament.
* In 1999, Colorado State defeated Brigham Young in Provo. The following year, Brigham Young returned the favor, upending the Rams in Fort Collins.
* In 2001, it was Utah defeating Colorado State, and the Utes repeated as champions in 2002 when they beat Brigham Young in the final.Last year, Colorado State defeated the Utes to capture the title and the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
* In the first three years of the event, it was the tourney's number-two seed defeating the top seed in the final. In 2002, Utah was the number-three seed and the Cougars were number four. Last season, Colorado State became the first number-one seed to win the tournament as it defeated Utah in the final.
* Only Colorado State (2), Utah (2) and Brigham Young (1) have won the MWC Tournament.
TOURNAMENT RECORD
* The Aztecs overall record at the MWC Volleyball Championship is 3-5.
* SDSU lost in the first round in both 1999 (to Utah) and 2001 (to UNLV). In 2000, it defeated New Mexico in the first round before falling to Colorado State in the semifinals.
* In 2002, the Aztec defeated New Mexico to open tourney play, then fell to Utah in the semifinals.
* Last year in San Diego, SDSU began with a victory over UNLV before falling to Colorado State in the semifinals.
TOURNEY OPPOSITION
* SDSU's record against the each of the seven Mountain West Conference teams is as follows:
MWC MWCTeam Overall Matches TourneyAir Force......15-1.....11-1......0-0Brigham Young..15-29.....2-10.....0-0Colorado St....14-16.....1-11.....0-2New Mexico.....24-9......9-3......2-0UNLV...........14-5......9-3......1-1Utah...........16-14.....3-9......0-2Wyoming........24-4......9-3......0-0
SERIES RECORD VS. THE COUGARS
* The Aztecs are 15-29 in the series with Brigham Young after losing twice to the Cougars during the 2004 season.
* SDSU's last win over BYU came in 2002 when it swept both matches from the Cougars, and in the process ended an 11-match losing streak at the hands of BYU.
* Brigham Young has dominated the series since 1990, winning 26 of the 31 matches between the teams.
* The Aztecs and Cougars have never met in the Mountain West Conference Tournament. The last time the teams met on a neutral floor was in 1997 when BYU defated SDSU, 3-0, at the Western Athletic Conference Tournament.
HEAD COACH Mark Warner
* San Diego State head coach Mark Warner is in his 10th season at the helm of the Aztec women's program. His career record over that span stands at 161-145 (.526).
* Over the past nine years, Warner has led his teams to a pair of NCAA Tournament berths and a Western Athletic Conference championship. His tutelage has produced 15 all-conference players and he was named the Mountain West Conference co-coach of the year in 2002.
NUMBER 300
* The Aztecs' contest against UNLV on Oct. 22 was head coach Mark Warner's 300th match at the helm of the San Diego State women's volleyball program.
* The 1987 San Diego State graduate became the Aztecs' fourth head coach in 1995 and has been named coach of the year in two different conferences during his tenure at SDSU.
THE 2004 AZTECS
* San Diego State returned just one starter and three other letterwinners from last year's team. The lone returning starter is outside hitter Kara Moriarty, and she is joined by returnees Audra Dent and Melissa Stapley.
* The Aztecs have seven other athletes back from last season who saw little or no time on the floor.
* Among the top newcomers are Lindesey Mahan, from Walla Walla (Wash.) High School and freshman Kristen Castillo, who became the team's starting setter in her first season at SDSU.
* A total of 17 athletes appear on the 2004 SDSU roster, including five true freshmen.
YOUTH WILL BE SERVED
* The Aztecs are a young team in 2004 with one senior, six juniors, four sophomore and six freshmen.
* Although SDSU has a total of nine players back this year, only two (Moriarty and Dykema) had seen significant collegiate action. The other seven returnees had played in a total of 26 games during their collegiate careers.
* San Diego State had five new starters when the season began in late August. In the opener, three starters were true frehsmen (setter Kristen Castillo, outside hitter Lindsey Mahan, libero Aime Cordeiro).
THREE IN FINAL SEASON
* Three Aztecs are concluding their final seasons as members of the San Diego State volleyball team. * The first is outside hitter Kara Morairty, a senior from Idaho Falls who will finsh her carer as a four-year letterwinner.
* Defensive specialist Kari Dykema, who redshirted as a true freshman in 2001, will graduate in June and will not return.
* Middle blocker Lucilla Xavier will conclude her collegiate eligibility this fall. She is a Brazilian who transferred from St. Gregory's College, an NAIA institution in Oklahoma.
LOCAL CONNECTIONS
* Three members of the 2003 Aztec squad hail from the San Diego area.
* That trio includes Ashley Bowker (Grossmont HS), Aime Cordeiro (West Hills HS) and Vanessa Curtis (University of San Diego HS).
* Bowker is a junior who redshirted in her first year as an Aztec (2001), Both Curtis and Cordeiro are true freshmen.
* A fourth Aztec, junior Barbara Louie, is from Northern California, but spent two years at San Diego Mesa College before arriving at SDSU last season.
IT'S ALL RELATIVE
* Sophomore transfer Melanie Greene (Washington State) is the daughter of Ken Greene, a former All-American defensive back at Washington State who played for the San Diego Chargers and St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently a member of the football coaching staff at WSU.
* Freshman middle blocker is the sister of former Aztec Nicole Curtis, who played at SDSU from 1996 to 1999.
THE STREAK
* SDSU's 13-match losing streak to begin the 2004 season was the longest in the history of the program.
* The previous longest was six matches on two occasions (in 1998 and 1999).
* The Aztecs ended that 13-match losing streak when it defeated Wyoming, 3-1, on Oct. 1 in Peterson Gym.
* This year's team will set an Aztec mark for losses in a season. The school record for most losses in a season is 23 (1998). the 2004 squad is currenlty on 23 losses entering the MWC Tournament.
INJURIES HAMPER SEASON
* Injuries to a pair of key players affected SDSU's 2004 season.
* Kara Moriarty, the team's lone senior and returning starter, suffered a pulled abdominal muscle in the season opener and missed the next 10 matches. She also missed two matches after spraining an ankle at Colorado State in late October.
* Starting libero Aime Cordeiro missed four matches late in the conference season after twisitng a knee vs. UNLV on Oct. 22.
* Both players are fit and expected to start this week.
SOLID BLOCKING
* In her first season as a middle blocker, junior Ashley Bowker is averaging 1.33 blocks per game, a mark that ranks fourth in the Mountain West Conference.
* Teammate Audra Dent also averages over a block a game. Her season average of 1.06 blocks per game places her 10th in the overall MWC stats.
MORIARTY COMES BACK
* In her last six matches, Kara Moriarty has 92 kills over 24 games, an average of 3.83 kpg. She finished in double figures in kills seven of those eight outings.
* Her average of 3.48 kills a game in league play is fourth-best in the MWC this week.
STAPLEY LEADS OFFENSE
* Melissa Stapley recorded SDSU's first individual double double of the season when she had 13 kills and 10 digs at Wyoming on Oct. 30.
* After 14 Mountain West Conference matches, her kill average of 3.19 kpg ranked 10th in conference game stats.
* She has recorded 12 double-figure kill games to lead the team with a personal best 23 vs. San Francisco on Sept. 17.
CORDEIRO DIGS IT
* Freshman libero Aime Cordeiro finished the conference season fourth in the league in digs at 3.88 per game.
* She reached double figures in digs in 14 matches this fall with a high of 21 at Fresno State.
AZTEC NOTES
* SDSU's 3-1 win at Air Force broke a string of 11 contests in a row that had been decided in three games. This season, the Aztecs have played 21 three-game matches, five four-game matches, and one give-game match.
* Only two Aztecs recorded double doubles this season: Melissa Stapley (13 kills, 10 digs) at Wyoming and Kara Moriarty (17 kills, 13 digs) at Air Force.
* Ninth-year coach John Ross was promoted to the position of Associate Head Volleyball Coach this past July. Ross is a former SDSU player (1989-93) who joined the women's program as an assistant coach in 1996.
* The Aztecs still have one match on their schedule to be played after this week's MWC Tournament. On Tuesday, Nov. 23, they will travel across town to visit University of San Diego in the second half of a women's basketball-volleyball doubleheader that will be televised locally.
PLAYER NOTES
Ashley Bowker, Middle Blocker
San Diego, California
* In her first season as a middle blocker is averaging 1.33 blocks per game, a mark that ranks fourth in the MWC this week.
* Had a season/career-best nine total blocks (eight solo, one assist) vs. San Francisco on Sept. 17.
* She recorded eight blocks vs. Wyoming on Oct. 30, her second-highest total of the season.
* Has had at least one block in each of SDSU's last 21 matches with high of two solo blocks on three occasions.
* Bowker has hit double figures in kills four times this season with a high of 13 last Friday at Air Force.
* Her .579 hitting percentage (13-2-19) vs. Air Force last Friday is the highest for an SDSU player (with minimum 10 kills) in 2004.
* Her 13 kills at Air Force represents a career high.
* Had a .467 hitting percentage in the match vs. Oral Roberts (10k-3e-15ta) on Sept. 18, second best for an Aztec this year.
* Had a match attack percentage of better than .300 (with at least five kills) seven times this season.
Kristen Castillo, Setter
Torrance, California
* Freshman setter Kristen Castillo set a personal best with 50 assists at Air Force last weekend.
* She finished with an assist average in conference matches of 10.68 per game to rank fifth in the league stats in that category.
* Castillo set a career high with eight kills against UNLV on Oct. 22, second-best on the squad in that match. She followed that up with seven kills at Wyoming on Oct. 30. In those two matches, she hit .800 and .700 respectively.
* Castillo also leads the team in service aces with a total of 21, an average of 0.24 per game.
* Her six aces vs. James Madison earlier this season (Sept. 11) were the most by an Aztec since Robyn Gregg had nine vs. Air Force on Oct. 18, 2002.
Aime Cordeiro, Libero
Santee, California
* Missed four matches after injuring her knee vs. UNLV (Oct. 22). Returned last week and played at Air Force and New Mexico.
* In the five matches in which she played prior to her injury, she averaged 4.00 digs per game.
* Her overall mark of 3.52 digs per game ranks fourth in the MWC this week. Her MWC match average of 3.88 dpg was fourth-best in the final league stats.
* Cordeiro's 21 digs at Fresno State earlier this season was the third-most in the conference in a three-game match this year.
* She finished in double figures in digs in 14 of SDSU's 27 matches in her first season of collegiate volleyball.
* Leads the Aztecs in digs both overall and in conference matches.
* Also had 29 assists, second highest total on the squad behind setter Kristen Castillo. Second on the team with 16 service aces.
Vanessa Curtis, Middle Blocker
San Diego, California
* Saw action in 13 matches, but played in just two conference contests (at UNLV on Sept. 27 and vs. Air Force on Oct. 16).
* Best outing came against Wichita State with personal-best five kills and a .571 hitting percentage on seven attacks.
* Career high four blocks (two solo, two assists) vs. San Francisco on Sept. 17. Also had season high three assists in that match.
Audra Dent, Right Side Hitter
Aptos, California
* Continues to average over a block a game in 2004.
* Her season average of 1.06 blocks per game places her 10th in the overall MWC stats.
* Set career high with eight total blocks (one solo, seven assists) vs. Wichita State on Sept. 4.
* She recorded seven blocks in the match against UNLV on Oct. 22, her second-highest total of the season. She also had four digs in that match, tying her best effort of the 2004 campaign.
* Had recorded at least one block in every match this season until last Sunday's contest at New Mexico when she was shut out.
* Hit double figures in kills four times with a personal best 14 vs. James Madison on Sept. 11.
Kari Dykema, Defensive Specialist
Portage, Michigan
* Finishing her final season at SDSU after four years with the program.
* Set a career high with 18 digs against 17th-ranked Utah on Nov. 5.
* Followed that up with nine digs vs. Brigham Young and 10 at Air Force, her second and third best marks of the season.
* Over the team's last five matches, she is averaging 3.26 digs per match.
* Her season total of 155 digs is second only to starting libero Aime Cordeiro.
* Tied for second on the team in assists with Cordeiro.
Melanie Greene, OUTSIDE HITTER
NAMPA, IDAHO
* Transfer from Washington State who has appeared in 16 matches this season.
* Personal best nine kills at Loyola Marymount on Sept. 21.
* Excellent defensive player who had season-high nine digs vs. Mississippi on Sept. 10.
Lindsey Mahan, Middle Blocker
Walla Walla, Washington
* Freshman who had a season-best 12 kills vs. James Madison on Sept. 11.
* Personal best three blocks in three matches (last time at Air Force on Nov. 12).
* Over six matches in mid-October (Oct. 2-16), she had an attack percentage of .375.
* Mahan recorded at least one block in 13 straight outings, doing so in 24 of SDSU's 27 matches.
* Her overall .257 hitting percentage leads the team and ranks 13th in the MWC this week.
* Top single-match hitting percentage was .545 (7-1-11) vs. Air Force on Oct. 16. Also had personal best five digs in that contest.
Nina Metzger, Defensive Specialist
San Clemente, California
* Defensive specialist who has played in each game of San Diego State's most recent three matches.
* Recorded four service aces in her second collegiate match vs. Wichita State on Sept. 4.
* Had three aces at Air Force on Nov. 12.
* Averaging 0.27 aces in limited action.
Kara Moriarty, Outside Hitter
Idaho Falls, Idaho
* Missed 10 matches after pulling an abdominal muscle in the second game of the season opener vs. Arizona.
* Suffered a sprained ankle early in game one at the Colorado State match on Oct. 29, missing the rest of that contest and the match at Wyoming the next evening.
* In her last eight matches, she has 92 kills over 24 games, an average of 3.83 kpg. She finished in double figures in kills in seven of those eight outings.
* Her overall average of 3.48 kills a game in league play is fourth-best in the MWC this week. She ended league play with a 3.42 kpg average to rank sixth in the league.
* Moriarty hit a season-best .354 vs. Air Force (10-5-19) on Oct. 16 and also had a pair of service aces in two games during that match.
* Turned in her first double double of the year with 17 kills and 13 digs at Air Force on Nov. 12.
* Averaged over two digs per game in all matches, only player other than libero Aime Cordeiro to do so.
Melissa Stapley, Outside Hitter
Mesa, Arizona
* Recorded SDSU's first individual double double of the season when she had 13 kills and 10 digs at Wyoming on Oct. 30.
* Her 10 digs in that match was a career high as she had recorded nine digs in four other matches this season, just missing a double double on each occasion.
* At the conclusion of Mountain West Conference play, her kill average of 3.19 kpg ranked 10th in the final league-game stats.
* Stapley has recorded 12 double-figure kill games this season to lead the team. She had a personal and team-high 23 kills vs. San Francisco on Sept. 17.
* Her .462 attack percentage (9-3-13) against Air Force on Oct. 16 was her best as an Aztec.
* Stapley's 3.16 kills per game overall average is 12th-best in the MWC this week in all-game stats.
* Her 23 kills against San Francisco on Sept. 17 is the fifth-highest single-match total in the conference this fall and second-best total for a four-game match.
* Career-high five blocks vs. James Madison on Sept. 11.
Lucilla Xavier, Middle Blocker
Belo Horizonte, Brazil
* Appeared in nine matches in her final season at San Diego State.
* Season-high two kills in game at UNLV in conference opener on Sept. 27.
* Personal best two digs at Fresno State on Sept. 17.
* Had a single block assist on five occasions (last time at New Mexico on Nov. 14).