Nov. 14, 2016
AZTECS SET TO WRAP UP 2016 SEASON
The San Diego State volleyball team will conclude its 2016 campaign with three matches over a six-day period, a run that includes the season home finale and a pair of conference road contests. The Aztecs' final home match for 2016 is set for Wednesday, Nov. 16, when they host UNLV for a contest set to begin at 6:00 p.m. (PT) on Aztec Court. SDSU will then hit the road for its final two matches of the year starting in Albuquerque where it will face New Mexico on Saturday, Nov. 19, at 2:00 p.m. (MT). Two days later, Monday Nov. 21, the Aztecs will be in Reno to take on Nevada at 6:00 p.m. (PT) in the Virginia Street Gym in their final match of 2016. Live video as well as live stats for all three of these matches this week will be available with links at GoAztecs.com.
SERIES RECORDS
*** The Aztecs record vs. UNLV stands at 25-18 in a series that began in 1985 when both schools were members of the PCAA. The schools were also in the Western Athletic Conference together before joining the Mountain West in 1999. UNLV has won four of the last six meetings with this week's match being the only contest between the schools in 2016.
*** The Aztecs' all-time record vs. New Mexico stands at 36-20 since the teams first met during the 1991 season. SDSU has won nine of the last 12 contests against the Lobos dating back to the 2010 campaign. Saturday's match in Albuquerque will be the only time the teams face each other this season.
*** San Diego State's all-time record vs. Nevada is 6-3 with the teams having met on only nine previous occasions since 2011. The Aztecs have won the last three meetings, all in San Diego, while the Wolf Pack captured the two matches prior to those, both in Reno.
UTCHEN TAKES OVER
Sophomore setter Lauren Utchen came off the bench to play in the final three sets in the five-set comeback win over Wyoming on Nov. 12, a match SDSU won after dropping the first two sets. She averaged 10 assists per set and also recorded three kills, two blocks and eight digs vs. the Cowgirls. As the starting setter at Fresno State on Nov. 5, she tied her season high with 44 assists and also averaged 2.00 digs per set in that contest. Utchen has started four matches for the Aztecs this season and has averaged 10.36 assists per set in those contests.
PSOMA LEADS HITTERS
Sophomore Alexandra Psoma set career highs with 24 kills and 27.0 points in the match vs. Colorado State last Thursday (Nov. 10). She has averaged 4.04 kills per set over SDSU's last four matches. She had just set a career high with 23 kills against Boise State on Oct. 29. Psoma continues to lead the SDSU offense with an average of 3.33 kills per set in all matches, a mark that ranks eighth in the Mountain West this week. After 15 Mountain West matches, she is averaging 3.60 kills per set in league play to rank fourth in the category. She has also moved into the conference top 10 in points with averages of 3.98 per set in league play (fifth) and 3.67 per set overall (ninth).
BOLDEN SERVES IT UP
Danielle Bolden has recorded at least one service ace in 14 of the Aztecs' last 15 matches. Her mark of 0.50 aces per set in conference matches is leads the league this week while her mark of 0.36 aces per set in all matches stands fourth in the overall stats. In addition, Bolden's averages of 2.30 digs per set in all matches and 2.28 per set in conference play are second only to libero Devyn Pritchard for the team lead.
HARRIS REMAINS HOT
Deja Harris' .338 hitting percentage in all matches this season stands seventh in the conference this week. Her mark of 1.04 blocks per set in all matches ranks 11th while her mark of 1.12 bps in league matches also ranks 11th. She has averaged 1.39 blocks per set over San Diego State's last four outings. Harris is second on the squad in kills at 2.70 per set after recording 15 kills in the win over Wyoming on Saturday (Nov. 12). She established a new SDSU record when she finished with a .909 hitting percentage in the win over Cal State Fullerton on Sept. 17.
CAGE COMES ON
Senior outside hitter Alexis Cage has averaged 2.11 kills and 1.89 digs per set over SDSU's past four matches. She notched her first double-double of the season with 16 kills and 12 digs at Wyoming on Oct. 13. She just missed her second double-double when she had nine kills and 10 digs vs. Colorado State last Thursday (Nov. 10). Cage tied her career high for blocks in a match with five in that match against Colorado State. She has recorded at least two digs in each of SDSU's 29 matches this season with a high of 20 vs. Murray State (Sept. 3).
PRITCHARD AT LIBERO
Sophomore Devyn Pritchard has been SDSU's primary starter at the libero position for as majority of the 2016 season. She has averaged four digs per set or better in three of SDSU's last five matches. She has finished in double figures in that category in four of the last five contests. She set her season high with 23 digs in the win over Utah State on Sept. 24. Pritchard's average of 3.20 digs per set ranks seventh in the overall league stats this week while her mark of 3.18 dps in conference matches is ninth.