Aug. 26, 2006
SAN DIEGO - After winning the opening game, San Diego State learned why the University of San Diego is ranked nationally as the number-20 Toreros came back for a 3-1 (27-30, 30-21, 30-25, 30-21) victory over the Aztecs in the finale of the 2006 Aztec Invitational. By winning its three games during the tournament, USD (3-0) claimed the event title. San Diego State saw its season mark fall to 1-3.
Four Aztecs ended the night in double figures in kills with Audra Dent tallying a team-high 15. Others in that group included Stephanie Darnall (14), Melanie Green (11) and Lindsey Mahan (10). MB Vanessa Curtis contributed four blocks while Aime Cordeiro had 18 digs over the four games.
For the University of San Diego, Kristen Carlson led all players with 21 kills while teammate Christie Dawson chipped in with 16 kills and a dozen digs. The Toreros also recorded 14 team blocks, led by Amy DeGroot with eight.
The opening game was a tight affair that saw the teams trade points over the first two-thirds of the contest. With USD leading 23-22, Aztec senior Audra Dent recorded a pair of kills followed by a combination block by teammates Vanessa Curtis and Stephanie Darnall to give the Aztecs a lead (25-23) they would carry until the end of the game. Darnall finished off the Toreros with a service ace. Dent led all players with six kills while Christie Dawson and Kristen Carlson had five apiece for USD.
Game two saw the visitors, who led 9-7, win seven of the next nine points run to move from a two-point lead to a seven point advantage at 16-9. Five of the Torero points came with the help of five SDSU errors. From that point, USD built its advantage, closing out the nine-point win on a kill by Dawson. Carlson had six kills to lead the Toreros while no Aztec had more than three. The team hitting percentages were indicative of the final outcome as USD hit .400 for the game compared to -.026 by San Diego State.
In the third game, the teams played evenly and were tied at 8-8 when USD ran off four straight points. SDSU was able to close the margin to one at 16-15, but the Toreros again scored four straight to solidify their grip on the contest at 20-15, going on to the five-point victory. Carlson had six kills to lead USD while Dent and Lindsey Mahan tallied five apiece for the Aztecs.
After each team scored a point in game four, the visitors took control, leading the rest of the way en route to the match win. The Toreros slowly increased their advantage, eventually going on to the nine-point victory. Dawson and Amy DeGroot had four kills each to lead USD, which hit .350 for the game. Stephanie Darnall matched those four kills for the Aztecs, but SDSU hit just .086.
With the 2006 Aztec Invitational reaching its conclusion, an eighth-player all-tournament team was chosen. Members of that squad included:
Christie Dawson (USD)
Laurel Abrahamson (USD)
Aime Cordeiro (SDSU)
Audra Dent (SDSU)
Shellane Ogoshi (Hofstra)
Dana Schaefer (Hofstra)
Harmony Burdine (CSU Northridge)
Darla Donaldson (CSU Northridge)
Up next for the Aztecs is a meeting with the College of Charleston on Wednesday, Aug. 30, at 5:00 p.m. in Peterson Gym. The Cougars are coming off a 32-2 season and an NCAA tournament appearance in 2005.