SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State volleyball team enters the final quarter of its 2021 spring schedule this weekend when it heads to the Gem State for single match at Boise State on Saturday, March 20. The Aztecs-Broncos clash is scheduled to commence at noon MT/11 a.m. PT, with links to Mountain West Network streaming video and live stats available on GoAztecs.com.
QUICK HITS
> SDSU (4-8, 4-8 MW) split two matches against Utah State last weekend, rallying for a five-set triumph (19-25, 23-25, 25-20, 25-19, 15-7) in the series finale to break a five-match losing streak.
> With the victory, the Aztecs also put the brakes on a 14-match slide after trailing 0-2 in sets, including the previous encounter vs. the Aggies, when SDSU dropped a three-set decision (23-25, 13-25, 19-25).
> Both contests were played at Jenny Craig Pavilion on the University of San Diego campus after a roof leak following a rainstorm affected the playing floor at SDSU's Peterson Gym.
> Heading into the weekend, the Aztecs find themselves in eighth place in the Mountain West race behind Air Force (5-5, 5-5 MW), Colorado State (5-5, 5-5 MW) and San José State (4-6, 4-6 MW).
> Conversely, Boise State (10-2, 10-2 MW) has been surging of late, winning four in a row to take over sole possession of second place in the conference standings. The Broncos registered two sweeps at Nevada last weekend (25-17, 25-17, 25-22 and 25-13, 25-11, 25-14).
SERIES RECORD VS. BOISE STATE
> The Broncos have won eight of the last 11 encounters to grab a 10-8 lead in the all-time series.
> The Aztecs are 3-5 in eight previous trips to Boise, winning at Bronco Gym in 2011, 2013 and 2018.
> San Diego State came up short in both matches to Boise State during the 2019 campaign, dropping a tough five-setter (18-25, 25-16, 22-25, 25-21, 13-15) on its home floor before suffering a four-set defeat (10-25, 25-13, 21-25, 20-25) in the season finale.
> In the first meeting last year, the Aztecs maintained the statistical advantage in hitting percentage (.225 to .163), kills (59-57) and digs (57-41) while matching the Broncos with a season-high 14 team blocks. However, the Aztecs were undone by eight Boise State service aces while committing seven errant serves of their own in the close loss.
> Among 2021 Aztec returners, Victoria O'Sullivan totaled 13 kills and two solo blocks in that match, while Erin Gillcrist finished with 11 put-aways to go with five block assists. In addition, Andrea Walker came up with four blocks of her own, including a pair of solo stuffs.
> In the season finale, SDSU held a 55-52 advantage in kills and a 44-40 margin in digs but was outhit .357 to .301, as the Broncos capitalized on 18 attack errors while serving up 10 aces.
> O'Sullivan posted a match-high 17 kills in that contest to lead the Aztec cause; Gillcrist notched nine put-aways, while Walker compiled five kills and three blocks.
BOISE STATE AT A GLANCE
> Boise State (10-2, 10-2 MW) has captured 12 straight sets in back-to-back series sweeps vs. New Mexico at home (March 5-6) and Nevada on the road (March 12-13). Offensively, outside hitter Lauren Ohlinger leads the Mountain West with 4.21 kills per set, while fellow outside hitter Kayly Pau (2.57) and middle blocker Jessica Donahue (2.42) are also averaging over two put-aways each per frame. In addition, the Broncos have three middles among the conference top 10 in hitting percentage, including Annie Kaminski, who sits atop the MW with a .500 clip, followed by Donahue (2nd - (.395)) and Alyssa Wissinger (7th - (.319)). At the net, Donahue enters the weekend ranked second nationally with a league-best 1.75 blocks per set, while Wissinger (4th - 1.24) and setter Danielle Boss (7th - 1.05) also find themselves among the MW leaders in that category. Not to be outdone, Boss ranks second in the MW with 9.85 assists per set, while libero Allison Casillas occupies the sixth spot in both digs (3.74/set) and service aces (0.36/set). Collectively, Boise State leads the conference with 3.06 blocks per set, which is good for fifth nationally this week. In addition, the Broncos rank second in hitting percentage (.252), kills (13.43/set), assists (10.26/set) and digs (15.17/set). Defensively, Boise State has limited opponents to a .159 hitting percentage, which is the second worst in the MW, while foes Head coach Shawn Garus is in his 12th season at the helm of the Boise State program, sporting a 313-264 career record and a 205-145 mark at the school. Garus captured back-to-back Mountain West Coach of the Year honors (2015-16) to go with 2016 AVCA Region Coach of the Year accolades.
AZTECS AMONG MW LEADERS
> On the strength of 37 combined digs (4.62/set) vs. Utah State, libero Lauren Lee has moved into the fifth spot in the Mountain West this week with 3.81 digs per set.
> After leading the Scarlet and Black with 11 digs in the opener against the Aggies, Lee came back the next night with a career-high 26 scoops in the series finale, helping the Aztecs snap a five-match losing streak. In addition, her dig total represents the third-best figure for a five-set match in the MW in that category and marks the highest for an SDSU player since Devyn Pritchard recorded 27 against Air Force on Nov. 5, 2017.
> With her totals, Lee has surpassed the double-digit dig plateau in 10 of 12 matches, including a current streak of four. During the last two series vs . Wyoming and Utah State, Lee has scooped up 4.64 digs per set, raising her season average from 3.39 to 3.81 during that stretch.
> Victoria O'Sullivan remains among the conference leaders as well, occupying the ninth spot with 3.17 kills per set.
> O'Sullivan had her streak of double-digit kills this season snapped at seven matches on Feb. 27, but has still logged 10 or more put-aways in 30 of her last 41 appearances dating back to the 2019 fall campaign.
> O'Sullivan is tied for the sixth-highest kill total for a single match in the Mountain West this season and is tied for the second-most in that category for a four-set contest after launching 20 non-returnables in the Aztecs' 3-1 triumph at home over New Mexico on Feb. 20.
> Meanwhile, Ashley Vanderpan also finds herself in the ninth spot with an average of 6.68 assists per set despite splitting time with Kennedy Feuerborn at the setter position with.
> Vanderpan recorded 30 or more assists in four straight matches from Feb. 13-26, lifting SDSU to a 3-1 record during that stretch. Her 38 helpers in a sweep of New Mexico on Feb. 19 rank as the second-highest assist total for a three-set match in the MW so far this season.
> Collectively, the Aztecs occupy the seventh position in assists (11.31/set) and digs (13.62/set) while ranking eighth in kills (11.86/set) and ninth in hitting percentage (.163). Conversely, SDSU opponents have posted 12.39 digs per set on Aztec attacks, which ranks last in the conference, and have managed just 11.88 kills per set against the Scarlet and Black, which is fourth from the bottom in the league.
NOTABLE
> With its 3-2 comeback victory over Utah State on March 12, San Diego State snapped a 14-match losing streak when trailing 0-2 in sets.
> In their three previous victories this season, the Aztecs have grabbed a 2-0 lead in sets.
> The last time SDSU emerged victorious after falling behind by two sets occurred on Sept. 6, 2019, when the Scarlet and Black rallied to beat West Virginia at home.
> In addition, the Aztecs' triumph over the Aggies marked its first five-set match played this year through 12 dates.
> Through six matches in 2019, SDSU completed three five-set nail-biters, falling at Florida Gulf Coast before edging West Virginia and Arkansas at home.
> In that encounter against Utah State, the Aztecs had four players log double-digit kill totals in the same match for the first time this season: O'Sullivan (12), Blair (12), Tautua'a (11) and Andrea Walker (11).
> SDSU is 2-1 this season when having three or more players surpass double figures in kills after posting an 8-3 mark in that category last year.
> The Aztecs are 4-0 this season when leading in kills and logging a greater attack percentage. In addition, SDSU is unbeaten this year at 4-0 when holding the opposition to an attack percentage under .200.
> Victoria O'Sullivan has been SDSU's leader or co-leader in kills in nine of 12 matches this season. The junior outside hitter has logged 10 or more put-aways in 30 of her last 41 starts dating back to the 2019 fall campaign.
> The 15 kills by Heipua Tautua'a against Nevada on Feb. 26 marked the first time this season that an Aztec player other than O'Sullivan led the team in that statistic. Erin Gillcrist finished with eight put-aways vs. the Wolf Pack in the series finale, while Tautua'a, Maddie Lenn and Nya Blair all shared the team lead in the series opener at Wyoming on March 5.
> Setter Ashley Vanderpan owns two of San Diego State's three double-doubles this season vs. Fresno State on Feb. 13 (30 assists, 11 digs) and against Nevada on Feb. 26 (34 assists, 12 digs), marking the first two times she's accomplished the feat during her career.
> SDSU's other double-double belongs to Tautua'a, who notched 11 kills and 11 assists in its five-set triumph over Utah State on March 12, helping the Aztecs snap a five-match losing streak.
> Erin Gillcrist recorded her two highest hitting percentages of the season vs. New Mexico (.750) on Feb. 20 and against Nevada (.500) on Feb. 26, combining for 16 kills on 26 swings with just one error in those two matches.
> In her first collegiate appearance, Gabriella Spaethling came off the bench in the fourth set against Nevada on Feb. 26 and recorded her first career kill and dig.
ON THE HORIZON
Following its excursion to Idaho, San Diego State will remain road warriors for another single match on Saturday, March 27 at San José State. First serve is set for 2 p.m. PT inside Spartan Gym at Yosh Uchida Hall.
Aztecs Prepare for Road Test at Boise State
