Match Week Preview
San Diego State (7-18, 5-7 Mountain West) vs. Utah State (5-18, 3-9 Mountain West)
Thursday, November 1, 2018 | 6:00 p.m. PT | Peterson Gym | San Diego, Calif.
San Diego State (7-18, 5-7 Mountain West) vs. Boise State (15-7, 7-3 Mountain West)
Thursday, November 1, 2018 | 6:00 p.m. PT | Peterson Gym | San Diego, Calif. | Mountain West Network
Aztec Storylines
NEARING THE END: SDSU plays four of its final six matches of the 2018 season at home, including a pair of home contests this week against Utah State and Boise State. SDSU previously beat both of this week's opponents in road matches in early October.
LAST TIME AGAINST THE AGGIES & BRONCOS: The Aztecs earned their first two road conference wins of the season against Utah State and Boise State, defeating the Broncos on Oct. 4 in five sets before winning another match that went the distance, besting the Aggies on Oct. 6.
SDSU took an 8-7 all-time advantage over BSU in the October win while also supplying the Aztecs' first win in Boise since sweeping the Broncos on Oct. 26, 2013. Deja Harris paced the Aztecs with 14 kills, a .458 hitting percentage, and eight blocks.
SDSU's win over Utah State on Oct. 6 gave the Aztecs their fourth consecutive victory. Harris led the Aztecs again, recording 19 kills and eight blocks against the Aggies.
GOOD MONTH OF OCTOBER: After recording a 1-10 record in September, the Aztecs recorded a record of 5-4 in the month of October. Below are some of the major statistical differences between September and October.
Statistic September October
Hitting Percentage .176 .228
Attack Errors Per Set 6.7 5.2
Blocks Per Set 2.0 2.6
GETTING IT DONE AT THE NET: SDSU is third in the Mountain West in total blocks (225) and second in the league in total kills (1,263), leaving SDSU as the only team in the conference to be in both the top three in both categories.
LEADERS IN THE NATION & MOUNTAIN WEST: Both Deja Harris and Ashlynn Dunbar rank inside the Mountain West's top 10 in multiple statistical categories.
Dunbar Nat'l Rank MW Rank
Total Aces: 43 11 2
Harris Nat'l Rank MW Rank
Total Blocks: 132 7 2
Total Points: 399.5 37 2
Total Kills: 303 124 7
Hitting Percentage: .324 136 7
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.
NOVEMBER SUCCESS: The Aztecs are 31-18 in November matches since the 2011 season.
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 Oct. 20 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.
HARRIS CLIMBING UP THE RECORD BOOK: Deja Harris has led SDSU in blocks in 19 of a possible 25 matches (including all seven wins) this season and has led the Aztecs both offensively and defensively during her final collegiate season.
Among active players in Division I, Harris is sixth with 521 career total blocks, 17th in career blocks per set (1.16), 27th in sets played (450) and 42nd in total kills (1,233).
SDSU Career Block Assist Leaders
1. Jennifer Miller (1989-92) 480
2. Andrea Hannasch (2009-12) 471
3. Deja Harris (2014 - present) 452
*Harris is also 8th in SDSU history with a .322 hitting percentage and 8th in SDSU history with 293 career block points.
VB Returns Home to Host Utah State & Boise State
