Match Week Preview
San Diego State (8-19, 6-8 Mountain West) at UNLV (18-8, 9-5 Mountain West)
Thursday, November 8, 2018 | 6:00 p.m. PT | Peterson Gym | Las Vegas, Nev. | Mountain West Network
San Diego State (8-19, 6-8 Mountain West) at New Mexico (14-12, 8-6 Mountain West)
Thursday, November 10, 2018 | 1:00 p.m. MT | Johnson Center| Albuquerque, N.M.| Mountain West Network
Aztec Storylines
LAST ROAD TRIP OF THE YEAR: SDSU heads out on the road for the last time in 2018, traveling to UNLV and New Mexico on Thursday and Saturday, respectively. The Aztecs are 3-4 on the road in conference play this season.
SDSU is looking for its first win over the Rebels in Las Vegas since 2012, while the Aztecs have won two of their last three road contests against the Lobos.
EARLIER THIS YEAR AGAINST THE REBELS AND LOBOS: The Aztecs suffered a four-set defeat to UNLV at home on Oct. 13, despite standout performances by Hannah Turnlund (16 kills, .364 hitting percentage) and Loren Teter (match-high 21 digs). After SDSU recorded a .133 and .000 hitting percentage over the first two sets, SDSU's offense responded with a .517 hitting percentage in their third-set win over UNLV. The loss for SDSU snapped a five-match winning streak, which is tied for the program's longest since 2012.
The final win of that win streak came against New Mexico, where the Aztecs took down the Lobos in four sets on Oct. 11 at Peterson Gym. Victoria O'Sullivan led the Aztecs season-bests in hitting percentage (.400) and kills (15). SDSU is 5-1 in their last six matches against UNM.
TURNLUND HEATING UP: Hannah Turnlund has led the Aztec offense over the last three matches, owning team-highs in kills per set (3.40) and hitting percentage (.325). This year, Turnlund has recorded 17 double-digit kill performances out of a possible 27 matches.
GETTING A GOOD START: Seven of SDSU's eight wins this season have come when winning the first set. SDSU is just 1-13 when losing the first set this season. The Aztecs are 5-2 in conference play when winning the first set.
IN IT TIL THE END: The Aztecs have played nine five-set matches this year, accounting for a third of SDSU's matches this season. The Aztecs have four five-set wins this season and in five-set matches this year, Deja Harris is hitting .398 with 3.38 kills per set and 1.42 blocks per set. After starting the year 1-4 in five-set matches, SDSU has won three of its last four matches that have gone the distance.
NOVEMBER SUCCESS: The Aztecs are 32-19 (.624) in November matches since the 2011 season.
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
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: 46 12 2
Harris Nat'l Rank MW Rank
Total Blocks: 141 10 2
Total Points: 399.5 51 4
Total Kills: 324 127 7
Hitting Percentage: .319 144 7
Dunbar's 46 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.
DEFENSE WINS GAMES: In all eight of SDSU's wins this year, the Aztecs have recorded more digs than their opponents. In addition, seven of eight 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 eight 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 20 of a possible 27 matches (including all seven of SDSU's eight 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 530 career total blocks, 18th in career blocks per set (1.16), 28th in sets played (459) and 43rd in total kills (1,254). Harris' 1,254 career kills are the most among all active players in the Mountain West.
SDSU Career Block Assist Leaders
1. Jennifer Miller (1989-92) 480
2. Andrea Hannasch (2009-12) 471
3. Deja Harris (2014 - present) 461
*Harris is also 8th in SDSU history with a .321 hitting percentage and 7th in SDSU history with 297.5 career block points.
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 1,282 digs this season in comparison to 1,230 digs by its opponents, and have four players averaging 2.0 digs per set or more, including Ashlynn Dunbar (2.43), Loren Teter (2.40), Sam McGrath (2.36) and Lauren Lee (2.13).