Match Week Preview
San Diego State (1-2, 0-0 MW) vs. Pacific (1-2, 0-0 WCC)
Friday, Aug. 31 | 12:30 p.m. PT | McKale Center | Tucson, Ariz.
San Diego State (1-2, 0-0 MW) at Arizona (3-0, 0-0 Pac-12)
Friday, Aug. 31 | 7:00 p.m. PT | McKale Center | Tucson, Ariz.
San Diego State (1-2, 0-0 MW) vs. Lipscomb (2-0, 0-0 ASUN)
Saturday, Sept. 1 | 10:00 a.m. PT | McKale Center | Tucson, Ariz.
Storylines
A RECAP OF THE AZTEC INVITATIONAL: The Aztecs posted a 1-2 record as hosts of the 2018 Aztec Invitational, splitting a pair of five-set matches with a loss against CSU Bakersfield and a win against Seattle U while dropping a four-set contest against Portland last Saturday.
Despite the 1-2 record, SDSU recorded more kills (193-173), a better hitting percentage (.261 - .224), more assists (182-162), more service aces (23-11), more digs (164-139) and more blocks (35-24) than its opponents last weekend. In all three matches last weekend, SDSU recorded more kills, service aces, and digs than its opponents. Ashlynn Dunbar and Deja Harris were named to the 2018 Aztec Invitational All-Tournament Team.
DUNBAR'S BIG WEEKEND: Junior outside hitter Ashlynn Dunbar posted career-highs in kills, service aces, and digs last weekend, and currently stands fourth in the Mountain West in kills per set (3.71), first in service aces (14), and third in points per set (4.96). Against Portland, Dunbar posted a career-high 22 kills, which stands as the most among players in the Mountain West this season. Dunbar's effort against Portland is the sixth 20+ kill performance by an Aztec since the start of 2014 and the most since Alexandra Psoma registered 24 kills against Colorado State on Nov. 10, 2016.
Dunbar recorded seven service aces in the team's season opener against CSU Bakersfield, the most by an Aztec since Aime Cordeiro recorded seven at Oregon on Sept. 9, 2006. The Seabrook, Texas native recorded a pair of double-doubles last weekend and was just a single dig shy of recording a double-double in all three matches last weekend with 14 kills and nine digs against Seattle U. Defensively, Dunbar is tied for the team lead with 39 digs this season.
HARRIS PICKING UP WHERE SHE LEFT OFF: Deja Harris continued her storied Aztec career in her first weekend as senior last weekend, posting a .400 hitting percentage (8th in MW) and 3.64 kills per set average (6th best in MW). Harris is the only player in the Mountain West to be in the top 10 in both hitting percentage and kills per set.
Harris logged a career-high 12 block assists in SDSU's 3-2 win over Seattle and brought her career total to 356 last weekend -- the 10th most block assists in SDSU history. Harris' 12 block assists against Seattle U were the most in a five-set match since Renate Busch registered a school-record 13 against UC Santa Barbara on Sept. 15, 1979.
TAYLOR'S IMMEDIATE IMPACT: Junior transfer setter Delaney Taylor has assumed SDSU's starting setter position to start the 2018 season and settled into the role nicely last weekend, posting a Mountain West-best 11.29 assists per set average.
HISTORY AGAINST THE CACTUS
CLASSIC FIELD: SDSU opens the Cactus Classic against Pacific, which it beat last season at the JLABS Challenge on Sept. 9 in three sets (25-19, 25-17, 25-22). In that match, Hannah Turnlund posted a match-high 13 kills with a career-best .409 hitting percentage. SDSU and Pacific have split each of the last six meetings.
SDSU plays Arizona for the first time since 2004, when the Wildcats won in straight sets. The all-time Aztec-Wildcat series started with 19 consecutive Aztec victories, however, since that point, Arizona has won eight of the last nine meetings.
SDSU's meeting with Lipscomb will be the second-ever meeting, with SDSU beating the Bisons in straight sets in 2006.
A LOOK AT 2018: San Diego State begins its 43rd season of women's volleyball in 2018 and enters the fall having posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2012-13. Head coach Deitre Collins-Parker begins her 11th season on the Mesa and has compiled a 146-127 record over her Aztec career.
PRESEASON POLL: For the second consecutive year, SDSU was selected to finish third in the Mountain West in the league's annual preseason poll. Colorado State and Wyoming were selected to finish first and second in the conference, respectively, while Boise State finished in a tie for third place with the Aztecs.
ALL-MW (AGAIN): SDSU's lone senior, Deja Harris, was named to the preseason all-MW team for the second consecutive season, being one of just three student-athletes in the MW (Colorado State's Kirstie Hillyer and Katie Oleksak) to be on both the 2017 and 2018 preseason all-MW team. Last season, Harris became the third three-time all-MW selection in SDSU history and has an opportunity to become the first-ever four-time honoree in 2018. The Las Vegas native was the only student-athlete in the Mountain West to finish in the top seven in points per set (3.84), blocks per set (1.28) and hitting percentage (.344) in 2017.
A NEW LOOK: SDSU's roster of 20 is split evenly between 10 returners (eight letter winners, two redshirts) and 10 newcomers (five transfers, five true freshmen).
SDSU's 10 newcomers are the most its had on a roster since having 11 in 2010. SDSU's roster of 20 is tied for the largest roster since Collins-Parker arrived at SDSU, and SDSU's five transfers is the most for an Aztec recruiting class since Collins-Parker's first season on the Mesa.
2018 SCHEDULE: SDSU will play four non-conference tournaments featuring 12 matches before starting Mountain West play against Fresno State on Sept. 21.
SDSU's non-conference finale on Oct. 2 features a home match against cross-town foe San Diego, which appeared at No. 14 in the AVCA preseason rankings. SDSU will also face No. 25 Colorado State at home on Sept. 27 and RV Oregon State on Sept. 14. On the road, SDSU takes on RV Hawai'i on Sept. 9 and No. 25 Colorado State on Oct. 25.
VB Starts Road Schedule at Cactus Classic
