Aug. 28, 2010
SAN DIEGO - In a battle of undefeated teams, San Diego State captured the championship of the 2010 Aztec Invitational with a three-set victory (25-22, 25-23, 26-24) over Cincinnati Saturday night in Peterson Gym. Earlier in the day SDSU had bested Northern Colorado, 3-1 (25-23, 21-25, 25-16, 25-18), to set up a title match between two sides with identical 2-0 records in tourney play.
Aztec outside hitters Kyley Sexton and Paije Pearson were named to the all-tournament team with the former nabbing honors as Invitational MVP. Sexton finished the weekend's three matches with averages of 3.90 kills, 1.75 digs, 0.50 blocks and 4.50 points per set. Pearson, meanwhile, hit .300 while averaging 3.78 kills, 3.00 digs and 0.44 blocks.
The three-set win over Cincinnati (2-1) could not have been much closer with the opening set decided by three points and the second and third contests by just two.
The Aztecs had three players finish the match in double figures in kills, a trio that included Pearson (15), Sexton (14) and freshman Raegan Shelton (14). Pearson's kill total was a new career high for the junior from Glendale, Ariz., as were her 18 digs as she completed a double-double effort. Sexton, meanwhile, added 14 digs to her stat line for her first double-double of the season as well.
San Diego State (3-0) got off to a nervous start against UC and fell behind by seven (12-5) in the opening set. The Bearcats maintained that advantage over the next 10 points and held a 17-10 lead before SDSU began its comeback. The Aztecs eventually tied the contest at 20-20 before winning five of the set's final seven points, three of which came on kills by Pearson including the game winner.
Set number two was a tight affair with no more than two points separating the teams throughout the contest. With the visitors holding the lead at 23-22, SDSU got a kill from Andrea Hannasch to even the score followed by a kill from Pearson and a Bearcat attack error to win the set.
The third set was just as close as the second, but this time SDSU found itself trailing 23-21 late in the game. Two hitting errors by Cincinnati gave the Aztecs life, but they faced set point at 24-23. A kill by Sexton tied the set and another pair of attack errors by the Bearcats ended the set and match in SDSU's favor. Shelton was instrumental down the stretch with several big kills as ended the three-set match with a .542 hitting percentage.
Earlier on Saturday, San Diego State was extended to four sets in its win over Northern Colorado. In that contest, Sexton finished with 15 kills with teammate Lauren Salisbury contributing 10 of her own. Middle blocker Hannasch turned in her best outing of the weekend with eight kills, six blocks and a .357 attack percentage.
Setter Johnna Fouch had 41 assists in the match along with five digs and a pair of block assists. The freshman from Redlands, Calif., ended the tournament with an average of 13.00 assists per set.
Libero Kristi Jackels had a dozen digs while freshman defensive specialist Kyla Oropeza chipped with seven, a number she matched in the nightcap vs. Cincinnati.
As a team, San Diego State hit .415 over the four sets against Northern Colorado and over its three tourney matches compiled a team attack mark of .311.
Up next for the Aztecs is a trip to Tempe, Ariz., next weekend to compete in the ASU Sheraton Classic hosted by Arizona State. SDSU will open play in that event on Friday, Sept. 3, with a match against Utah State set for a 10:00 a.m. start followed by a contest against the Sun Devils at 7:00 p.m. that evening. The Aztecs will then face Seattle on Saturday (Sept. 4) at 10:00 a.m. to conclude tourney play.