Aug. 30, 2017
Spartan Invitational Preview
San Diego State (1-2) at No. 23 Michigan State (2-1)
Friday, Sept. 1 | 11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT | East Lansing, Mich.
San Diego State (1-2) vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (1-2)
Friday, Sept. 1 | 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT | East Lansing, Mich.
San Diego State (1-2) vs. Marshall (1-3)
Saturday, Sept. 2 | 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT | East Lansing, Mich.
AZTECS HEAD TO MIDWEST FOR SPARTAN INVITATIONAL
> The San Diego State volleyball team embarks on its first road trip of the 2017 campaign this weekend when it travels to the Midwest for the Auto Owners Insurance Spartan Invitational, Sept. 1-2, in East Lansing, Michigan. In addition to the Aztecs, the two-day tournament features No. 23 Michigan State, Marshall and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. SDSU opens the weekend with a clash against the host Spartans on Friday, starting at 11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT inside Jenison Fieldhouse.
SERIES RECORDS
> San Diego State has dropped three of four all-time meetings with Michigan State, including a 3-1 setback in the 2016 season opener at Aztec Court. In that contest, Hannah Turnlund led the Scarlet and Black with 11 kills, while Alexis Cage finished with 10 put-aways of her own. The Aztecs also received a double-double from Indigo Thompson (18 assists, 12 digs), while Deja Harris hit .375 for the match, knocking down eight kills to go with three blocks. The Spartans represent SDSU's first ranked opponent since facing No. 7 San Diego last season. The Aztecs are 24-9 against Big Ten Conference adversaries in program history.
> The Aztecs emerged victorious in their lone encounter with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, sweeping the Islanders on their home floor 3-0 at the Holiday Inn Emerald Beach Invitational in 2007. Prior to that meeting, San Diego State last faced a Southland Conference team in 2003 when it beat Nicholls State 3-1 at the Green Mill Restaurant Volleyball Classic on a neutral court in Wichita, Kansas. The Aztecs are 5-0 all-time against Southland Conference foes.
> Saturday's match against Marshall represents the first-ever matchup between the two programs. SDSU last played a Conference USA school in 2014, when it posted a 3-0 whitewash of Florida International at the Crimson-White Tournament in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Aztecs are 24-3 against current members of C-USA.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
> Michigan State posted a 2-1 mark at the Hyatt Regency Invitational last weekend in Atlanta, Georgia, sweepng both Furman and Auburn, before suffering a 3-1 upset at the hands of host Georgia Tech. With the loss, the Spartans slipped from 17th into the 23th position in latest AVCA Division I rankings. MSU returns 11 letterwinners and four starters from last year's squad that amassed a 25-9 overall record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, including senior middle blocker Alyssa Garvelink, a 2017 second-team AVCA All-American who has compiled a .361 hitting percentage in three matches so far this sesason to go with 3.10 kills and 2.20 blocks per set. In addition, the Spartans boast two other honorable mention All-Americans in senior outside hitter Autumn Bailey (2.67 kps, 3.56 dps) and senior setter Rachel Minarick (9.80 aps), while fellow classmate Holly Toliver (2.89 kps, 2.56 dps) has also provided a sizeable contriubtion from the outside hitter position. Head coach Cathy George is entering her 13th season at Michigan State, needing one win to hit the 600-victory plateau and 11 to become the all-time winningest coach in team history. George's career record stands at 599-389 and 234-164 on the East Lansing campus. She rans 22nd among active caches for total wins in NCAA Division I volleyball.
> Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, the two-time defending Southland Conference champions, recorded a 1-2 mark at the SMU Invitational last weekend in Dallas, Texas, defeating Rice in the opener by a 3-1 count before losing to Mississippi State (3-2) and the host Mustangs (3-0). The Islanders return five starters from last year's squad that made their second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, including senior outside hitter Brittany Gilpin, who garnered Southland Player of the Year accolades in 2016. This season, Gilpin is averaging 3.21 kills and 3.33 digs per set, while fellow classmate and reigning Southland Setter of the Year Kristyn Nicholson is averaging 8.75 assists per set thus far in 2017. In addition, junior defensive specialist Madison Woods tops the squad with 4.58 digs per set. Corpus Christi is coached by Steve Greene, who is beginning his second season at the helm after serving a five-year stint as assistant at Texas A&M.
> Marshall is coming off a 3-0 triumph at Morehead State on the road Tuesday. Prior to that contest, the Thundering Herd came up empty at the Austin Peay Tournament in Clarksville, Tennessee, falling to Missouri (3-2), Austin Peay (3-1) and UMKC (3-0). Marshall returns eight letterwinners and starters from a team that posted a 22-8 overall record and an 11-3 ledger in Conference USA, including sophomore outside hitter Jac'cara Walker, who earned a spot on the league's all-freshman team a year ago. Walker leads all Herd regulars with 4.33 kills per set thus far in 2017, while fellow classmate Madison Hill tops the squad with a .300 hitting percentage. In addition, sophomore Madelyn Cole (6.73 aps and senior Kayla Simmons (4.40 aps) have split time at setter this season, while defensive specialist Amber Weber, a South Florida transfer, has averaged 3.60 digs in all 15 sets. A two-time Conference USA Coach of the Year, Mitch Jacobs is entering his 16th season at the helm of the Marshall program, posting a 279-203 record at the Huntington, West Virginia, institution.
AZTEC INVITATIONAL REDUX
> San Diego State recorded its first victory of the season last Saturday when it swept Portland State 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-17).
> The Aztec victory was sandwiched between setbacks to Eastern Kentucky (3-1) and CSUN (3-0). > Despite finishing with a 1-2 record, SDSU posted equal or higher statistical averages than its opponents last weekend.
> The Aztecs logged a .240 hitting percentage in three matches compared to their opponents .229 clip.
> SDSU averaged more kills (13.9/11.1) and assists (12.7/10.4) per set than their adversaries.
> The Aztecs matched their opposition in both digs (11.1) and blocks (2.1) per set.
HARRIS NAMED AZTEC INVITE MVP
> Middle blocker Deja Harris was named the Aztec Invitational's Most Valuable Player last weekend.
> In three matches, the SDSU junior led all regulars in the tournament field with a .434 hitting percentage, averaging 3.00 kills in 10 sets played.
> In SDSU's sweep of Portland State, Harris hit a season-high .733 on a team-best 11 kills with no errors in 15 swings.
> She also recorded double-digit kills vs. CSUN, launching 10 put-aways with just three errors on 16 attacks for a .433 hitting percentage.
> Harris also excelled on defense, averaging 1.30 blocks for the tourney.
> In the Aztecs' aforementioned victory over PSU, she came up with match-high six block assists, including two during a decisive 13-0 run in the opening set.
AZTEC NEWCOMERS MAKE DEBUT
> Three SDSU players made their initial collegiate appearances at the Aztec Invite - Gabi Peoples, Loren Teter and Sam McGrath.
> A freshman setter, Peoples played in eight of 10 sets over three matches, averaging 3.62 assists and 1.00 digs.
> A native of Beaverton, Oregon, Peoples logged season highs of 16 assists and four digs in San Diego State's 3-0 victory over Portland State.
> In addition, defensive specialists Teter (five sets) and Sam McGrath (one set) saw limited action over the weekend.
BIG RETURN FOR LITTLE
> After sitting out the 2016 campaign with an injury, senior middle blocker Baylee Little returned to the lineup at the Aztec Invitational, averaging 1.70 kills and 0.70 blocks per set.
> Little recorded her best performance of the tournament against CSUN, finishing with eight kills and two block assists.
> The Gilbert, Arizona, native also hit .273 with five kills in SDSU's blanking of Portland State.
AZTECS AMONG MOUNTAIN WEST LEADERS
> After the opening weekend of the season, four Aztecs are among the Mountain West leaders in various categories.
> Junior middle blocker Deja Harris ranks second in the conference with a .434 hitting percentage and is tied for the third spot with 1.30 blocks per set.
> Sophomore outside hitter Ashlynn Dunbar occupies the ninth spot with a .351 hitting percentage. > Junior setter Indigo Thompson ranks 10th with 8.90 assists per set.
> Senior defensive specialist Devyn Pritchard also landed in the 10th position this week with 3.60 digs per set.
> As a team, SDSU ranks among the top half of the conference in kills (3rd, 13.90/set), hitting percentage (5th, .240) and assists (5th, 12.70/set).
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