Sept. 20, 2014
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - San Diego State put an end to a three-match skid Saturday afternoon as it defeated Florida International in three sets (25-11, 27-25, 25-20) at the Crimson-White Tournament in Tuscaloosa, Ala. With the win the Aztecs improved to 4-6 on the season while FIU dropped to 3-11.
Halle Aiken led SDSU with 14 kills and completed a double-double with 12 digs. She also contributed five blocks, a service ace and an assist. Kaja Sandberg also finished in double figures in kills with 10 and recorded three blocks and a dig.
Aiken was named toe the all-tournament team after averaging 3.00 kills and 2.30 digs per set over SDSU's three weekend matches.
Freshman setter Courtney Eckenrode notched the first double-double of her young career with 35 assists and 12 digs while also registering a pair of kills.
The opening set saw San Diego State jump out to a quick 5-0 lead and it led 9-3 when it rattled off eight straight points to take control of the game at 17-3. Aiken led the Aztecs with four kills and two blocks. SDSU hit .360 in the set while the Panthers managed just a -.107 attack mark.
SDSU maintained it momentum to start set number two as it held an early 7-2 lead. FIU, however, came back to eventually tie the contest at 16-16 and neither team could forge more than a one-point advantage until the end of the game. Down 24-23, the Aztecs faced set point, but a kill by Eckenrode knotted the score at 24-all. After each side scored once, SDSU took advantage of a Panther service error and a kill by Ciara Brown to claim the two-point set win.
In the third set San Diego State again had the early lead at 5-2 and increased it to as many as five points at 14-9. Florida International was unable to catch up, but did get to within a point at 20-19. From there, however, the Aztecs won five of the next six points on a pair of FIU attack errors and kills by Jensen Cunningham, Sandberg and Eckenrode.
San Diego State will now return home and begin preparations for its 2014 Mountain West opener that comes up when it hosts Fresno State next Saturday, Feb. 27, at 1:00 p.m. on Aztec Court in Peterson Gym.