Nov. 10, 2014
Complete Release and Season Statistics
AZTECS HOST SAN JOSE STATE & NEVADA THIS WEEK
San Diego State will be at home this week for a pair of Mountain West Conference contests. The Aztecs will host San Jose on Thursday, Nov. 13, for a 6:00 p.m. match on Aztec Court in Peterson Gym. Two days later (Saturday, Nov. 15), SDSU will square off against Nevada at 6:00 p.m. on Aztec Court. Both the San Jose State and Nevada matches will have live video streaming on the Internet. Thursday's contest will be on the Mountain Digital Network while Saturday's match will have live video on the SDSU web site. Live video links for both contests may be accessed at the San Diego State athletics web site (www.GoAztecs.com).
SERIES RECORDS
***The Aztecs have a mark of 17-8 against San Jose State in a series that dates back to 1977. SDSU downed the Spartans in three sets in San Jose last month. The teams both won on their home floors during the 2013 campaign. Prior to that the teams had last met in 2009 at The Invitational in Seattle and prior to that had not squared off since the 1998 campaign. SDSU has a record of 9-2 vs. the Spartans in San Diego, 5-6 in San Jose and 3-0 on neutral courts.
***San Diego State all-time record vs. Nevada is 3-3 with the teams having met on only six previous occasions. The Wolf Pack defeated the Aztec in four sets in Reno in mid-October. Last season the Aztecs split matches with the Wolf Pack, winning on Aztec court and falling in Reno. SDSU also split contests with Nevada during the 2012 season. The Aztecs' other victory in the series came in three sets during the 2011 Aztec Invitational in San Diego.
HEAD COACH Deitre Collins-Parker
San Diego State head coach Deitre Collins-Parker is in her sixth season with the Aztecs after being named the fourth head coach in program history prior to the 2009 campaign. Her record at SDSU is 98-76 (.563). She previously served as head coach at UNLV for eight seasons (1996-2003) and at Cornell for five years (2004-2008). Her 18-year career record stands at 260-267 (.493). A three-time All-American as a player at the University of Hawai'i, she led the Rainbow Wahine to consecutive national titles (1983-84) and was named the national player of the year twice. She was a member of the U.S. Olympic Team and competed at the Goodwill Games and Pan Am Games prior to playing professionally in Europe for four years. She is one of six players named to the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball 25th Anniversary Team in October 2005 and was inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame in the fall of 2008. During the summer of 2014 she led a Mountain West all-star team on a tour of Europe that concluded with a bronze medal third-place finish at the 2014 European Global Challenge in Pula, Croatia.
AIKEN GETTING OFFENSIVE
Junior outside hitter Halle Aiken recorded career high of 20 kills, 20.0 points and 67 attacks in the match at New Mexico last Saturday (Nov. 8). She notched her third career double-double with 12 digs in that match as well. In last week's two contests she averaged 4.29 kills per set. Aiken has averaged 3.48 kills over the past six matches while recording double figures in that category in each contest.
ECKENRODE EMERGING
Freshman setter Courtney Eckenrode tied her career high with four kills in the contest at New Mexico last Saturday (Nov. 8). She recorded her sixth double-double of the year with 47 assists and 13 digs in the win over Wyoming on Nov. 1. The double-double was her third in four matches. She has recorded at least one kill in every match since becoming the Aztecs' starting setter on Sept. 19 at Alabama.
O'HARA AT THE NET
Redshirt freshman Cassie O'Hara has averaged 1.00 block per set over SDSU's past six matches. During that same span she is hitting at a .385 clip. She posted career highs of two service aces and an assist in the match at Air Force last week (Nov. 6). O'Hara recorded career highs of eight kills and five block assists in the win over UC Irvine on Oct. 27.
STEEL'S HOT HAND
Senior right side hitter Chaiymin Steel registered a career-best 20 digs in the contest at New Mexico last weekend (Nov. 8). In last week's two matches she averaged 4.71 digs per set. Her 15 kills, 14 digs and 17.5 points in the match vs. Wyoming on Nov. 1 tied her career highs. The double-double vs. Wyoming was her second of the season (and career).
SABA AT LIBERO
Redshirt freshman Alexa Saba has averaged 4.00 digs per set over SDSU's last 13 matches. She recorded 20 vs. Wyoming on Nov. 1, one shy of her career best. She set her career high with 21 digs in the match against New Mexico on Oct. 9. She had tied her career high of four assists in three straight matches (Oct. 27-Nov. 1), a streak that ended during the contest at Air Force last Thursday (Nov. 6).
SANDBERG HITS NEW HIGHS
Junior middle blocker Kaja Sandberg returned last weekend after having missed the previous week's matches vs. Colorado State and Wyoming due to injury. She played in only four sets over the last two matches ( one at Air Force, three at New Mexico), but averaged 1.25 blocks per sets in those contests.
PRITCHARD SHOWS VERSATILITY
Freshman defensive specialist Devyn Pritchard turned in 12 digs at New Mexico last Saturday (Nov. 8), her second-highest output of the season. It marked her fourth double-figure dig effort of the 2014 campaign. Her 12 digs in the win over Wyoming on Nov. 1 was her highest output since recording 13 vs. Villanova on Sept. 6.