SAN DIEGO – After opening the season last weekend in Florida, San Diego State returns to "America's Finest City" to co-host the SDSU/USD Invitational, Sept. 6-7, at Aztec Court.
San Diego State commences its 2019 home schedule on Friday when it battles West Virginia, beginning at 6 p.m. PT, before facing Arkansas and Arizona in a day-night doubleheader on Saturday, starting at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., respectively. All three matches will feature live stats, while streaming video will also be available for Friday's Aztecs-Mountaineers clash via the Mountain West Network.
The first 100 fans in attendance on Friday night will receive a free SDSU/Mountain West t-shirt, while the first 200 fans arriving for Saturday's match vs. Arizona will receive a free clear tote bag.
SERIES RECORDS: TheWest Virginia and Arkansas matches will represent the first-ever meetings for San Diego State against those respective programs, while the Aztecs own a 20-9 record vs. Arizona.
SDSU is 25-19 all-time against seven of the nine current members of the Big 12 Conference that sponsor volleyball, having never played WVU or Kansas State. The Aztecs last faced a Big 12 opponent in 2015 when it suffered a 3-0 setback to TCU at home in the SDSU/USD Challenge.
Arkansas is also one of three current Southeastern Conference teams SDSU has never met, along with Auburn and South Carolina. The Aztecs are 16-10 against 10 remaining SEC volleyball affiliates, with their last encounter resulting in a 3-0 defeat at the hands of then-No. 2 Florida at the 2015 Outrigger Resorts Challenge in Honolulu, Hawaii.
San Diego State faced Arizona last year at the Cactus Classic, dropping a 3-0 decision on the road in Tucson (25-22, 25-19, 25-17). Hannah Turnlund is the Aztecs' top returner from the match when she knocked down eight kills and hit .273, while Sam McGrath posted 10 digs. In addition, Serena Hodson and Lexie Hamrick got into the act with three block assists each. SDSU held the lead in all three sets, but the Wildcats used timely runs to gain the upper hand in each frame. The Aztecs are 105-135 against the current Pac-12 alignment, having played every team in the circuit with the exception of Washington State.
HOME OPENERS: San Diego State is 6-4 in home openers since the 2009 campaign, but will be looking to reverse a two-match slide in fter falling to CSU Bakersfield (2018) and Eastern Kentucky (2017) in consecutive lid-lifters at Aztec Court. SDSU is 28-15 in home openers since the program's inception in 1976.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION: West Virginia captured the tournament championship at the Delaware Classic last weekend, opening with a four-set triumph over the host Blue Hens, followed by consecutive sweeps of Coppin State and Binghamton. Middle blocker Briana Lynch was named the event's most valuable player, while outside hitter Kristina Jordan and setter Lacey Zerwas each earned a spot on the all-tournament team. Lynch hit .381 for the weekend, averaging 2.9 kills per set (29 overall) to go with five total blocks, while Jordan finished at a .284 clip, launching 3.33 kills per set (30 overall) to go with 19 digs. Not to be outdone, Zerwas averaged 10.80 assists and 3.20 digs per frame, while outside hitter Kristin Lux figured prominently in the Mountaineers' success as well, averaging 3.50 kills (35 overall) and 2.50 digs (25 overall) per set . Jordan is a San Diego native who prepped at Liberty Charter High School.
The Razorbacks also claimed the tournament crown at home in the Arkansas Classic last week after sweeping past Northwestern State and Little Rock, followed by a five-set victory over Montana State in the finals. Additionally, the Razorbacks boasted their own MVP in outside hitter Jillian Gillen, who averaged 4.36 kills (48 overall) and 2.36 digs (26 overall in 11 sets last weekend, collecting SEC Freshman of the Week accolades in the process. Arkansas also received steady performances from outside hitter Maggie Cartwright (2.73 kills/set, 1.73 digs per set, 6 service aces), setters Rachel Rippee (5.91 assists/set, 2.45 digs/set) and Gracie Ryan (4.55 assists/set, 2.09 digs/set), along with middle blocker Elizabeth Pamphile (22 kills, 9 total blocks, .271 hitting pct.).
Arizona, which is receiving votes in the latest AVCA Top-25 Coaches Poll, posted a 2-1 record at its own Cactus Classic last weekend, sweeping Appalachian State and Loyola Marymount before falling to Samford in the title match. The Wildcats were led by the trio of outside hitters in Paige Whipple (2.91 kills/set), Katie Smoot (2.82 kills/set) and Elizabeth Shelton (2.36 kills/set, .346 attack pct.), while libero Kamaile Hiapo topped the squad in digs (2.91/set). For her efforts, Shelton earned a spot on the all-tournament team, along with middle blocker Shardonee Hayes (9 total blocks, .250 attack pct.).
FLORIDA WRAP: San Diego State finished with a 3-1 record at the FGCU Homewood Suites Fort Myers Classic last weekend in Florida. The Aztecs opened with a pair of sweeps over Akron (25-20, 25-19, 25-18) and Bryant (25-22, 25-16, 25-13) before falling short against host Florida Gulf Coast in a tough five-set battle (25-22, 23-25, 23-25, 25-22, 11-15). SDSU was led by outside hitter Hannah Turnlund (3.73 kills/set) and setter Camryn Machado (11.55 assists/set, 3.82 digs/set), who each earned a spot on the all-tournament team. Machado logged three straight double-doubles, while middle blocker Tamia Reeves hit .431 to go with 2.55 kills and 1.27 blocks per set. In addition, the Scarlet and Black was bolstered by the play of outside hitter Victoria O'Sullivan (3.45 kills/set, 0.73 blocks/set) and libero Loren Teter (4.64 digs/set). Collectively, the Aztecs outhit the opposition .272 to .148 at the tournament while maintaining the upper hand in kills (149-123), digs (188-158) and total blocks (27.0-19.0). The Scarlet and Black also registered 16 fewer errant attacks than their foes (47-63) and did not commit a ball-handling error in three matches.
With their victories over Akron and Bryant, SDSU started a season 2-0 for the first time since the 2013 campaign. All three matches last weekend marked the Aztecs' first-ever meetings against those respective opponents.
Turnlund posted a career-high 24 kills and scooped up 16 digs in the finale against FGCU for her second straight double-double and sixth of her career. She also tallied 10 put-aways and 11 digs vs. Bryant. In addition, the Morgan Hill, California, native hit .412 against Akron, launching seven kills with no errors in 17 attempts while adding three total blocks.
MACHADO COLLECTS MW HONORS: Thanks to her all-round performance, Camryn Machado was named Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 2. Against, Florida Gulf Coast, the SDSU redshirt sophomore established career highs with 55 assists and 20 digs to go with a personal-best five service aces. Earlier, she opened the year with 35 assists and 12 digs vs. Akron, before notching 37 helpers and 10 digs against Bryant. '
NOTHING LIKE HOME COOKIN': In head coach Deitre Collins-Parker's tenure, the Aztecs have amassed a 83-44 (.654) record at home, highlighted by a 14-0 mark during the 2012 season when SDSU captured the Mountain West chanpionship.
ON THE HORIZON: San Diego State heads to the desert next weekend for three matches at the GGU Invitational in Phoenix, Arizona. The Aztecs will battle UC Riverside on Friday, Sept. 13 (4:30 p.m. PT) before facing two opponents on Saturday, Sept. 14 - Eastern Washington (10 a.m. PT) and host Grand Canyon (7 p.m. PT).