Sept. 20, 2016
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State came up short in its annual match against No. 7 University of San Diego as it fell to the Toreros in three sets (25-21, 25-19, 26-24) Tuesday evening on Aztec Court. The win was the eighth in a row for the visitors, who improved to 9-2 on the season while SDSU saw its four-match win streak end and its record fall to 8-6.
Sophomore middle blocker Deja Harris led the Aztec with 10 kills and a .368 hitting percentage. She also contributed a pair of digs and was one of five SDSU players to end the evening with three blocks.
Alexandra Psoma finished with eight kills along with three blocks while teammates Emma Fuzie (seven kills), Alexis Cage (six kills) and Tamia Reeves all contributed a trio of blocks.
Although both teams totaled 17 errors over the three sets, USD recorded 48 kills and a .337 hitting percentage compared to 37 kills and a .230 attack mark for SDSU.
The opening set was close as the teams were tied at 15-15 in the latter stages. USD worked its way to a late three-point advantage at 23-20 and went on to the four-point win. Cage led the Aztecs with three kills while Reeves recorded three blocks. The Aztecs hit .333 for the contest, but the Toreros ended with five more kills and a .424 hitting percentage.
The second set saw the visitors take control early as they jumped out to a seven-point lead at 12-5. SDSU was only able to get back to within three when it trailed 16-13 before the Toreros went on to take nine of the final 15 points to capture the set and go up 2-0 in the match. Harris and Fuzie had five kills apiece for San Diego State, but the Aztecs hit just .094 as a team compared to .333 for the Toreros.
The University of San Diego got off to another quick start in the third set, leading by as many as six points at 15-9. SDSU, however, fought back and eventually tied the contest at 18-18. From there neither side could forge more than a one-point lead until, at 24-24, an SDSU service error and a Torero kill gave the visitors the set and match win. Psoma led all players with five kills in the contest.
San Diego State will now prepare for its 2016 Mountain West opener scheduled to take place when hosts Utah State on Saturday, Sept. 24, at 6:00 p.m. on Aztec Court.