SAN DIEGO – After posting winning records in each of its first three tournaments of the 2019 campaign, San Diego State wraps up the non-conference portion of its regular-season schedule with back-to-back matches this week, playing host to Long Beach State on Thursday, Sept. 19, before traveling across town to battle San Diego the following night on Friday, Sept. 20.
The Aztecs will square off against the Beach, starting at 6 p.m. PT inside Aztec Court at Peterson Gym, while their clash with the Toreros gets underway at 7 p.m. from Jenny Craig Pavilion on the USD campus. Both contests will feature live stats and streaming video, with links available on GoAztecs.com.
Through nine matches, San Diego State has equaled its best start since 2011 and 2012 when it posted identical 6-3 records to begin those seasons. Overall, the Aztecs are 15-10 in their last 25 outings since Sept. 29, 2018, after starting last season with a 1-14 record.
SERIES RECORDS
> Although the Aztecs own a 25-18 all-time record against Long Beach State, the two teams have faced one another just four times since 1995. SDSU has won two straight vs. the Beach, including a five-set thriller in the second match of the Aztecs' own JLABS Challenge in 2017. Hannah Turnlund is one of just four returners from that contest, posting seven kills to go with a .333 hitting percentage, while Gabi Peoples dished out 37 assists. Sam McGrath (4 digs) and Loren Teter also saw spot duty along the back row for the Scarlet and Black. SDSU won 13 straight meetings in the series from Nov. 14, 1979-Nov. 9, 1984. The two former Big West rivals also locked horns in the 2001 NCAA Tournament, with LBSU claiming a 3-0 decision in Long Beach. The Aztecs are 150-109 against current members of the Big West.
> San Diego State is 27-30 against USD, but snapped a five-match losing streak in the series last year with a 3-0 whitewash at Aztec Court for its first sweep of the Toreros since 1999. The Aztecs finished with a season-best .410 hitting percentage, marking their highest single-match pace since a .428 clip vs. Montana in 2012. In addition, the Scarlet and Black ended a dubious streak of 15 sets dropped against USD after limiting its crosstown neighbor to its third-worst of the entire 2018 campaign with a .125 clip. Individually, Hannah Turnlund set a career-high with a .692 hitting percentage, knocking down 10 kills on 13 attempts with just one error, while Erin Gillcrist (.500) finished with nine put-aways of her own, recording just two mishaps on 14 swings. Tamia Reeves also got into the act with three block assists, while Sam McGrath posted nine digs.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
> Long Beach State (3-6), which was picked fifth in the Big West Preseason Coaches Poll, has lost five of six matches after posting a 1-2 mark last weekend at the Gator Invitational in Gainesville, Florida. The Beach dropped their tournament opener to James Madison, 3-0, before rebounding with a 3-2 triumph over South Florida. The following night, LBSU gave No. 11 Florida all it could handle, but fell short to the host Gators in another five-set battle. The two sides combined for eight ties and four lead changes in a grueling fifth set, with the visitors reaching match point on four occasions, including a 17-16 spread following a Florida service error. However, the Gators fought themselves off the ropes with three straight points to escape with the set and match. For the season, sophomore outside hitter Kashauna Williams leads LBSU with 4.16 kills per set (154 overall), which ranks sixth in the Big West, while fellow classmate Allison Martinez occupies the seventh spot with an average of 3.54 kills per frame (103 overall). In addition, the Beach has received a boost from senior libero Hailey Harward, who ranks third in the Big West with 4.14 digs per set (153 overall), while senior middle blocker Kjersti Norveel is fifth in blocks (1.38/set, 33 total). Elsewhere, freshman Tia Chavira has handled the lion's share of LBSU's setting duties, averaging 9.69 assists per set, which ranks fourth in conference, while senior middle blocker YiZhi Xue has displayed her versatility with 2.14 kills per set (79 overall), a .314 hitting percentage, 31 total blocks, as well as a team-high 13 service aces. Collectively, the Beach ranks among the top half of the Big West in assists (2nd, 12.7/set), hitting percentage (3rd, .233), kills (4th, 13.5/set) and blocks (4th, 2.0/set). Former LBSU setter Joy McKienzie-Fuerbringer is in her third season at the helm of her alma mater. As a player, McKienzie-Fuerbringer helped the Beach to its second national championship in 1993 and later returned to her alma mater as an assistant coach from 1999-2001. She also spent time as an assistant at UCLA from 2010-14.
> San Diego (4-4), which is receiving votes in the latest AVCA Division I Coaches Poll, logged a 2-1 record at the UC Santa Barbara Invitational last weekend, falling to the host Gauchos in four sets before posting consecutive sweeps of Harvard and La Salle. The Toreros have battled two ranked teams during their non-conference slate, dropping a 3-1 decision to then-No. 13 Washington at the Rainbow Wahine Invitational in Honolulu, Hawaii, followed by a narrow five-set defeat at home to then-No. 2 Nebraska as part of the SDSU/USD Invitational. Individually, the Toreros have been paced by sophomore outside hitter Katie Lukes, who is averaging 3.05 kills in 21 sets played, while freshman opposite Grace Frohling (2.94), senior middle blocker Megan Jacobsen (2.93), senior outside hitter Thana Fayad (2.83) and junior outside hitter Roxie Wiblin (2.74) are averaging close to three put-aways per frame as well. Jacobsen, who leads the team with 29 total blocks, is also tops among the USD front-line with a . 411 hitting percentage, while sophomore libero Annie Benbow is averaging a team-best 2.77 digs per set. The Toreros also feature senior setter Anna Newsome, who is handing out 8.69 assists per frame. As a team, USD is hitting at a .267 clip to go with 13.9 kills and 13.4 digs per set. Now in her 21st year with the program, head coach Jen Petrie has led the Toreros to the NCAA Tournament 19 times during her career, including their eighth straight appearance in 2018. She is a five-time West Coast Conference Coach of the Year recipient.
ON THE HORIZON
Following the SDSU-USD clash, the Aztecs will open Mountain West play next week, welcoming San José State to The Mesa on Thursday, Sept. 26, before hitting the road to face Nevada on Saturday, Sept. 28.