Match Week Preview
San Diego State (7-16, 5-5 Mountain West) at Colorado State (16-6, 8-2 Mountain West)
Thursday, October 25, 2018 | 7:00 p.m. MT | Moby Arena | Fort Collins, Colo. | Mountain West Network
San Diego State (7-16, 5-5 Mountain West) at Wyoming (15-7, 7-3 Mountain West)
Saturday, October 27, 2018 | 6:30 p.m. MT | UniWyo Sports Complex | Laramie, Wyo. | Mountain West Network
Aztec Storylines
A RECAP OF LAST WEEKEND: The Aztecs split two matches last week, dropping a tough five-set decision to San Jose State last Thursday before closing the week with a four-set win over Nevada. SDSU heads into this weekend having won six of their last eight matches.
SDSU had a three-match winning streak in five-set matches heading into last Thursday's contest against SJSU, but had that snapped after the Spartans won the deciding fifth set, 15-12. The three-match win streak in five-set matches was SDSU's longest single season streak since the 2012 won five five-set matches in a row.
The Aztecs rebounded with a four-set win over Nevada, giving SDSU its seventh consecutive win against the Wolf Pack. Deja Harris led SDSU with 15 kills and played a key role in sealing SDSU's win -- posting seven kills in the fourth set, good for the most by an Aztec in a single set this season. Erin Gillcrist also contributed 15 kills in the win.
SECOND GO AROUND: The Aztecs will play Colorado State and Wyoming for the second time this season. SDSU played both teams at home on Sept. 27 and Sept. 29, respectively, with the Aztecs dropping a four-set contest to the Rams before ending a 13-match losing streak in a five-set win over Wyoming.
The Aztecs are looking for their first win at Colorado State since Nov. 27, 2013. In SDSU's home meeting with the Rams on Sept. 27, SDSU jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a 25-20 first-set win. Ashlynn Dunbar posted a double double with 12 kills and 11 digs to lead the Aztecs.
It was Dunbar again who led the Aztecs in their win over the Cowgirls, as Dunbar became the first Aztec in the Mountain West era (since 1999) to record a 20-kill, 20-dig performance with 23 kills and 22 digs in a five-set win over Wyoming. Both the 23 kills and 22 digs set new career-highs for Dunbar, who also posted match-bests in hitting percentage (.383) and service aces (5).
The Rams and Cowgirls have both played well at home this season, with the two teams owning a combined 19-2 record at home this season (CSU - 8-2, Wyoming - 11-0). While the Aztecs are 8-2 in their last 10 home matches against the Cowgirls, SDSU is looking for its first road win against Wyoming since Nov. 5, 2009.
OCTOBER SUCCESS: After recording a 1-10 record in September, the Aztecs enter the final weekend of October with a 5-2 record this month. Over the course of October, the Aztecs have outhit their opponents, .253 - .205, and out-blocked their opponents, 85-51. Deja Harris has led the Aztecs offensively in October, owning team-bests in kills per set (3.07) and attack percentage (.317). Ashlynn Dunbar (2.74), Hannah Turnlund (2.45), Erin Gillcrist (2.32) and Victoria O'Sullivan (2.15) are all averaging over 2.00 kills per set in October, while Loren Teter has led the defense with 3.43 digs per set. As she has done all season, Harris leads the Aztecs on the block over the last seven matches, owning a 1.70 blocks per set average.
DEFENSE WINS GAMES: In all seven of SDSU's wins this year, the Aztecs have recorded more digs than their opponents. In addition, six of seven wins have come when the Aztecs have had as many or more blocks than their opponents. SDSU's only win this season when having less blocks than their opponents came on Saturday at Nevada, with the Wolf Pack owning a 7-6 advantage in blocks. On the offensive side, all seven of SDSU's wins have come when recording a hitting percentage of .200 or better.
GETTING IT DONE AT THE NET: SDSU is 15th in the country and first in the Mountain West with 1,126 total kills this season. Also, the Aztecs are second in the league and 20th in the nation with 217 blocks this season, leaving the Aztecs as one of five teams in the country to be in the top 20 in both categories, joined by only Charlotte, Southern Mississippi, Kennesaw State, and Tulane.
HARRIS CLIMBING UP THE RECORD BOOK: Deja Harris has led SDSU in blocks in 19 of a possible 23 matches (including all seven wins) this season and has led the Aztecs both offensively and defensively during her final collegiate season. Harris is fourth in the country and second in the Mountain West with 129 total blocks.
Among active players in Division I, Harris is fifth with 518 career total blocks, 17th in career blocks per set (1.17), 21st in sets played (444) and 42nd in total kills (1,223). Two weeks ago, Harris became the fifth player in MW history and the first in SDSU history to have earned a MW Offensive Player of the Week (won during 2017 season) and a MW Defensive Player of the Week award in the same career.
Harris stands fifth in the MW in hitting percentage (.336), second in blocks per set (1.36), second in total points (387.5), and 10th in kills per set (3.08). Harris is the only player in the conference to be in the top 10 in both hitting percentage and kills per set.
SDSU Career Block Assist Leaders
1. Jennifer Miller (1989-92) 480
2. Andrea Hannasch (2009-12) 471
3. Deja Harris (2014 - present) 450
*Harris is also 7th in SDSU history with a .325 hitting percentage and 8th in SDSU history with 291 career block points
ACE-LYNN DUNBAR: Ashlynn Dunbar is second the Mountain West and sixth in the country with 43 service aces this season. Dunbar's 43 aces also mark as the most by Aztec in a single season since Robyn Gregg recorded 61 in 2002. Gregg, who recorded 76 service aces in 2001 (eighth most for a single season in program history), is the only Aztec in the MW era (since 1999) to have more service aces than Dunbar in a season.
BALANCED DEFENSIVE EFFORT: San Diego State has had four different players (Ashlynn Dunbar, Sam McGrath, Loren Teter, Lauren Lee) record a 20+ dig game this season and five post a single-match team-high in digs (also Hannah Turnlund).SDSU has recorded 1,228 digs this season in comparison to 1,158 digs by its opponents, and have four players averaging 2.0 digs per set or more, including Sam McGrath (2.49), Ashlynn Dunbar (2.54), Lauren Lee (2.17) and Loren Teter (2.29).