SAN DIEGO – San Diego State will make the short drive across town this weekend to compete in the UC San Diego Invitational, Sept. 7-9, at LionTree Arena in La Jolla, California. The Aztecs open tournament play on Thursday against the host Tritons, starting at 6 p.m. PT, before battling Denver and Navy on successive days. Friday's encounter with the Pioneers is set to begin at 4 p.m., while Saturday's showdown with the Mids is slated for a noon start.
Live stats will be available throughout the tournament, while Thursday's clash with the Tritons will air live on ESPN+ via subscription basis. Links to both platforms will be available on GoAztecs.com. Below is the complete event schedule.
Thursday, Sept. 7
San Diego State at UC San Diego 6 p.m. PT (ESPN+)
Friday, Sept. 8
Navy vs. Denver 10 a.m. PT
San Diego State vs. Denver 4 p.m. PT
Navy at UC San Diego 7 p.m. PT (ESPN+)
Saturday, Sept. 9
San Diego State vs. Navy Noon PT
Denver at UC San Diego 4 p.m. PT (ESPN+)
SERIES RECORD VS. UC SAN DIEGO
> The Aztecs have emerged triumphant in all 14 encounters with the Tritons dating back to 1977.
> The teams battled one another last season at the SDSU Invitational when the Scarlet and Black notched a four-set victory (25-22, 25-20, 26-28, 25-20) in UCSD's first meeting with the Aztecs as a Division I member.
> In that match, San Diego State owned a decisive 67-42 advantage in kills and served up seven aces to help fuel its win, overcoming a 14.0 to 9.0 deficiency in team blocks.
> Additionally, the Aztecs outhit UCSD .270 to .183 and maintained a sizable 51-42 margin in digs while benefiting from 20 opponent attack errors.
> Individually, a trio of 2023 returners posted double-digit kills for SDSU, including Madison Corf (.303), who blasted a match-high 15 put-aways, while Heipua Tautua'a logged her first double-double of the year with 14 non-returnables to go with 10 digs. Mikela Labno also got into the act with 13 kills of her own, followed by Kat Cooper , who hit .600 for the night while finishing with seven kills and five total blocks, including a solo stop.
> Not to be outdone, setter Sarena Gonzalez dished out 30 assists, while McKenna Douglas led all players with 19 digs to anchor the Aztec back row.
> Prior to last season's contest, SDSU and UCSD last faced one another in 1993, when the Aztecs registered a 3-0 sweep in the San Diego City Championships held at Point Loma Nazarene.
> SDSU is 168-113 against current Big West schools in program history. The Aztecs have split two meetings with Big West opponents this season, defeating Cal State Fullerton 3-1 on Aug. 25 in the 2023 lid-lifter at the Hotel Vance Rose City Showdown in Portland, Oregon, before suffering a 3-0 home defeat to UC Santa Barbara on Sept. 2 to close out the SDSU Invitational.
SERIES RECORD VS. DENVER
> San Diego State will face Denver for just the fifth time in program history on Friday, with the each side recording a pair of victories.
> The two teams last met in the Mile High City in 2017, when the Aztecs defeated the Pioneers in four sets (20-25, 25-22, 25-20, 28-26) to capture the Denver Invitational championship.
> Despite trailing in total blocks (14.0-8.0), SDSU outhit Denver (.257-.231) and held a 63-56 advantage in kills along with a 57-51 margin in digs to help key the victory.
> The Aztecs have played just one other school currently aligned with the Summit League, splitting two matches with Oral Roberts in 2003 and 2004.
SERIES RECORD VS. NAVY
> Saturday's encounter marks the Aztecs' first-ever meeting against the Mids.
> San Diego State has played one previous match against a current volleyball affiliate of the Patriot League, defeating Army in its opening match of the 2022 SDSU Invitational by a four-set tally.
TOURNAMENT CONNECTIONS
> Aztec junior outside hitter Reagan Merk was a prep teammate of UCSD outside hitter Zaria Henderson at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana.
> SDSU sophomore setter Sarena Gonzalez and UCSD sophomore middle blocker Jasmine Saran faced one another as conference rivals on their respective high school teams in Temecula. Gonzalez's Temecula Valley squad split two matches with Saran's Great Oak team in 2021, as each side claimed a 3-2 victory on their home courts during the regular season.
> Aztec sophomore McKenna Douglas and Navy freshman Ally Allesio were teammates at the libero position for Notre Dame Preparatory High in Scottsdale, Arizona, as well as the Arizona Storm club program. In 2021, the duo helped Notre Dame Prep to a 37-5 record, highlighted by an Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) Conference 4A state championship.
SDSU IN MW RANKINGS
> Entering the weekend, middle blocker Julia Haynie ranks fifth in the Mountain West with a .375 hitting percentage. The Aztec super senior has knocked down 19 kills on 40 attempts this season with just fours error.
> In addition, libero McKenna Douglas occupies the sixth position in the conference with 3.60 assists per set.
> Freshman setter Fatimah Hall owns the Mountain West's third-highest assist total for a four-set match this year after dishing out 47 helpers in SDSU's season-opening victory over Cal State Fullerton on Aug. 25.
> Douglas' 21 digs vs. CSUF is also tied for the third-best figure in the conference for a four-set match this year, while her 14 scoops in the tournament finale two days later against Portland State is tied for fifth in the MW for a three-set contest.
> Not to be outdone, Madison Corf's career-high four service aces vs. Pepperdine on Sept. 1 is also tied for the league's third-best total this year.
> Collectively, the Aztecs occupy the seventh spot in the conference with an average of 12.15 kills per set while ranking ninth in assists (11.10/set) and service aces (1.40/set).
AZTEC TIDBITS
> Middle blocker Elly Schraeder, opposite hitter Taylor Underwood, libero McKenna Douglas and setter Fatimah Hall are the only Aztecs to play all 20 sets this season.
> Outside hitter Campbell Hague leads the SDSU freshman class with 13 kills, including six put-aways against No. 6 Oregon on Aug. 31, when she did not commit an error in 13 attempts for a .462 efficiency.
> Middle blocker Amber Keen, another freshman, made her Aztec debut in the third set against UCSB and recorded her first career kill.
> Outside hitter Heipua Tautua'a notched her 12th career double-double in SDSU's season-opening victory over Cal State Fullerton with 10 kills and 13 digs.
> The Aztecs' 14.5 team blocks in that triumph over the Titans marked the squad's highest total since the 2021 spring campaign when the Scarlet and Black registered 15.0 rejections in a 3-2 upset at Boise State.
SETTING AN EXAMPLE
> After a heralded prep career at Lakewood High School, setter Fatimah Hall cracked the starting lineup in her first three collegiate matches last month at the Hotel Vance Rose City Showdown in Portland, Oregon, averaging 7.60 assists and 1.00 digs in 10 sets played.
> A native of Long Beach, Hall made her Aztec debut a memorable one, finishing with a double-double after posting 47 assists and 12 digs, helping SDSU defeat Cal State Fullerton in the season opener on Aug. 25. Her 47 assists marked the highest total by an Aztec player since Camryn Machado dished out 53 helpers at Utah State in the penultimate match of the 2019 regular season. The SDSU freshman also blasted her first four collegiate kills against the Titans and was credited with one block assist.
> Additionally, Hall led the Aztecs in assists in their final two matches of the tournament vs. Kansas State (13) and Portland State (16), serving up one ace apiece against the Wildcats and Vikings.
ALL-TOURNAMENT AZTEC
> San Diego State libero McKenna Douglas earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the Hotel Vance Rose City Showdown in Portland, Oregon, after posting 39 digs (3.90/set), 10 assists and three aces in three matches. In the Aztecs' 3-1 triumph over Cal State Fullerton, the SDSU sophomore anchored the back row with 21 digs while adding six assists and a service ace.
> Douglas' 21 scoops are tied for the third-best figure in the conference for a four-set match this year. In addition, Douglas posted 14 scoops in the tournament finale at Portland State, which was the second-highest number for a three-set match.
ON THE HORIZON
> Following the UC San Diego Invitational, the Aztecs continue their non-conference schedule next weekend, returning to the Pacific Northwest for the Gonzaga Tournament in Spokane, Washington. San Diego State will open the tournament on Friday, Sept. 15, when it takes on the host Bulldogs, starting at 6 p.m. PT, before wrapping up the event on Saturday, Sept. 16, with a neutral-site match vs. Eastern Washington, beginning at 11 a.m. PT.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
> UC San Diego (4-2) has won two of three matches in each of its first two preseason tournaments, including last weekend's Gonzaga Tournament, where it dropped a tough five-setter to Air Force before rebounding with consecutive victories over Idaho (3-0) and the host Bulldogs (3-1). The Tritons have faced one other Mountain West squad this year, defeating Fresno State 3-1 in their season opener at the Butler Bulldog Brawl in Indianapolis, Indiana. UCSD split its final two matches of that tournament, knocking off Kent State in four sets before falling in another five-set nail-biter to Butler. The Tritons were predicted to finish seventh in the 2023 Big West preseason coaches poll after posting a 14-18 overall record last season and tying for the seventh spot in conference play. UCSD compiled a 4-9 record at home in 2022 and went a combined 10-9 in road/neutral matches. Entering the weekend, outside hitter Ava McInnes occupies the second spot in the Big West with an average of 3.68 kills per set while ranking fourth in service aces (0.52/set) and 11th in hitting percentage (.268). In addition, Emily McDaniels tops the league in blocks (1.64/set, 41 overall) while ranking ninth in hitting percentage (.289), trailing fellow middle blocker Jasmin Saran (2nd, .400) in that category. Elsewhere, setter Nevada Knowles is slotted seventh in assists (6.00/set), while libero Natalie Repetti ranks ninth in digs (3.08/set). Following the season-opening Bulldog Brawl, McDaniel (Defensive) and setter/opposite Lauren Brooker (Freshman) garnered Big West Player of the Week accolades. Collectively, UCSD leads the conference in blocks (2.74/set) while occupying the second spot in hitting percentage (.219) and service aces (1.96/set). Despite a modest No. 6 Big West ranking in kills (11.92/set), the Triton defense has held opponents to conference lows in hitting percentage (.132) and kills (10.52/set). The Tritons are led by head coach Ricci Luyties, who has compiled a 207-141 record in 12-plus seasons on the La Jolla campus. (UCSD) did not compete in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic). In May 2017, Luyties was among the inaugural induction class of 25 individuals to the Southern California Indoor Volleyball Hall of Fame. A legend during his collegiate playing days, Luyties started on four straight NCAA Championship teams at UCLA from 1981-84, earning All-America and NCAA MVP honors in his final two seasons. Before enjoying a highly successful pro beach volleyball career, he also won gold medals as a member of the U.S. national team at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea and the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis.
> Denver (0-3) was idle last weekend after coming up empty in three matches at the UC Santa Barbara Thunderdome Classic, Aug. 25-27. The Pioneers dropped a 3-1 decision to North Florida in their season opener before suffering consecutive sweeps to the host Gauchos and New Mexico State in succession. Denver was led by graduate transfer Cassie Davis, who named to the all-tournament team after totaling 32 kills (3.20/set), 11 digs (1.10/set) and a trio of blocks in the event. In addition, opposite hitter Ava Reynolds and outside hitter Genevieve Lewis averaged 2.00 put-aways per set for the tournament. Elsewhere, libero Gianna Bartalo racked up 34 digs (3.40/set), while setter Briley Decker dished out 94 assists (9.40/set). Collectively, the Pioneers are hitting at a .165 clip with 10.70 kills per set while averaging 1.90 blocks in the middle. However, Denver's opponents have countered with averages of 13.70 kills and 2.90 blocks per set while posting a .280 attack percentage so far this year. The Pioneers were picked sixth in the Summit League preseason coaches poll after posting a 19-12 overall record and a fourth-place mark of 12-6 in conference play last year. Denver is under the direction of first-year head coach Megan Pendergast, who arrived in the Mile High City after spending the last three years as an assistant at UCLA where she helped the Bruins to a trio of NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Sweet 16 berth in 2022. She has also made coaching stops at Tulsa and Oklahoma. Pendergast began her collegiate playing career at Nebraska before transferring to Texas A&M for her junior and senior seasons. As a senior in 2012, she racked up 441 digs, which ranked seventh on the Aggies' single-season list at the time of her graduation.
> The Navy women's volleyball program (5-1) will embark on its first road trip to California this week after winning three matches at its own tournament, the Kristen Dickmann Invitational, Sept. 1-2. The Mids capped a perfect weekend with a 3-0 upset of Maryland after defeating Utah Valley (3-0) and Old Dominion (3-1). Following the tournament, outside hitter Jamie Llewellyn was named Patriot League Player of the Week after averaging 4.70 kills and 1.90 digs per set. In addition to her team-leading 47 kills, the Navy senior topped the squad with a .326 hitting percentage and eight service aces. Jamie Llewellyn (4.25/set) and her twin sister Jordan (3.40/set), who is also an outside hitter on the Mids, find themselves among the conference leaders in kills, ranking second and fifth, respectively. In addition, setter Averi Miller is slotted second in the conference with an average of 10.25 assists per set, while libero Hannah Hoover ranks fifth in digs (3.70/set). As a team, Navy leads the Patriot League in service aces (2.35/set) while occupying the second position in kills (12.95/set), assists (11.95/set) and hitting percentage (.265). Additionally, the Mids have limited the opposition to a .151 hitting percentage, which tops the conference. After placing third in the Patriot League with an 11-5 mark and a 16-12 overall record last year, Navy was pegged for another third-place finish in the conference's 2023 preseason coaches poll. Individually, Miller was named the league's preseason Setter of the Year and was joined on the preseason all-conference team by Jordan Llewellyn and middle blocker Maggie Bodman, who currently tops the squad in blocks (0.75/set, 15 overall). The Mids are guided by sixth-year head coach Paco Labrador, who has compiled a 78-49 record at Annapolis, highlighted by a pair of finals appearances in the Patriot League tournament. Prior to his arrival at the U.S. Naval Academy, Labrador spent 15 seasons at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, where he led the Tigers to the 2011 NCAA Division III National Championship, earning AVCA Division III Coach of the Year honors for his efforts.
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Aztecs Prep for UC San Diego Invitational
