Match Week Preview
San Diego State (1-5, 0-0 MW) vs. Portland (6-0, 0-0 WCC)
Thursday, September 6 | 4:45 p.m. HT | Stan Sheriff Center| Honolulu, Hawaii
San Diego State (1-5, 0-0 MW) vs. Idaho (4-2, 0-0 Big Sky)
Friday, September 7 | 4:45 p.m. HT | Stan Sheriff Center| Honolulu, Hawaii
San Diego State (1-5, 0-0 MW) vs. Hawaii (4-0, 0-0 Big West)
Sunday, September 9 | 5:00 p.m. HT | Stan Sheriff Center| Honolulu, Hawaii
Storylines
HEADING TO THE ALOHA STATE: San Diego State travels to Honolulu, Hawaii for the Outriggers Volleyball Challenge hosted by the University of Hawai'i starting this Thursday. The Aztecs start the tournament off with a rematch against Portland, which it faced at the Aztec Invitational on August 25. The Pilots went on to win the match in four sets. It's SDSU's first trip to the Aloha State since participating in the 2015 Outrigger Resorts Volleyball Challenge.
BACK TO CAMPUS: Head coach Deitre Collins-Parker, a three-time all-American, two-time National Player of the Year and two-time national champion as a student-athlete at Hawai'i, returns to her alma mater this weekend. Collins-Parker has coached against her alma mater three times during her time at SDSU and is in search of her first coaching win against the Rainbow Wahine.
A RECAP OF THE CACTUS CLASSIC: SDSU fell to Pacific in a tough five-set decision (25-19, 18-25, 16-25, 25-22, 9-15) to open the cactus Classic Classic hosted by the University of Arizona last weekend. Ashlynn Dunbar led the charge in the match, recording 16 kills and 15 digs -- both team highs -- for her team-leading third double double of the season, matching her total from her entire sophomore campaign.
After SDSU dropped a three-set contest against Arizona, SDSU fell in a closely-contested three-set match against Lipscomb (22-25, 24-26, 25-27), with two games requiring extra points. SDSU had limited action from starting setter Delaney Taylor against Lipscomb, forcing outside hitter Ashlynn Dunbar to make her first collegiate appearance at the setter position. Dunbar recorded 25 assists and logged a .278 setting percentage in the match.
Despite having lost in straight sets in each of the final two matches of the Cactus Classic, SDSU held a lead for at least a portion of all six of those games.
With a team-best 2.82 kills per set, junior outside hitter Hannah Turnlund was named to the 2018 Cactus Classic All-Tournament team.
DUNBAR'S START: Ashlynn Dunbar has served as a leader for SDSU both offensively and defensively through the team's first six matches, leading SDSU in kills per set (3.16) and second on the team in both digs per set (2.60) and assists per set (1.44). Dunbar currently stands second in the Mountain West in service aces (15) and sixth in points per set (3.96). Right behind Dunbar in the conference leaders in points per set is teammate Deja Harris (3.94), and the duo make up the only pair to come from the same team in the Mountain West's top 10 points leaders.
HISTORY WITH THE OUTRIGGERS CHALLENGE FIELD: SDSU faces a tough slate this weekend, with its three opponents, Portland, Idaho, and Hawai'i, owning a combined 14-2 record during the early goings of the 2018 season. SDSU faces Portland for the second time this season and it will be the third all-time meeting between the Aztecs and Pilots. In SDSU's four-set (25-27, 22-25, 25-21, 22-25) loss to Portland, Ashlynn Dunbar recorded a career-high 22 kills -- the most by an Aztec since the 2016 season.
SDSU is 3-1 against Idaho all-time and 2-0 against the Vandals since Deitre Collins-Parker took over as SDSU head coach.
SDSU meets with Hawai'i for the first time since Sept. 10, 2015, where the Rainbow Wahine took the match in three sets. Then a freshman, Deja Harris led SDSU with seven kills in the match. It will be the 44th all-time meeting between SDSU and Hawai'I on Sunday.
A LOOK AT 2018: San Diego State is in 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 147-132 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 is 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 crosstown 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 Travels to Hawaii for Outriggers Challenge
