SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State volleyball team continues the second half of its conference schedule this week when it travels to the Mountain time zone to face New Mexico and Air Force.
The Aztecs will square off against the Lobos in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Thursday, Oct. 26, beginning at 6:30 p.m. MT (5:30 p.m. PT) before continuing north to Colorado Springs for a clash with the Falcons on Saturday, Oct. 28, starting at 1 p.m. MT (noon PT).
In addition to live stats, both contests will be streamed live via the Mountain West Network with links available on GoAztecs.com. Fans can also watch the live action on their smartphones or TVs by downloading the MW app.
SDSU split a pair of Mountain West matches last weekend, employing a tremendous team effort in a four-set home victory Oct. 19 over Boise State (21-25, 25-22, 25-16, 25-22) before dropping a hard-fought 3-1 decision at conference leader Utah State two days later (26-24, 19-25, 24-26, 27-29).
With their results, the Aztecs (8-13, 3-7 MW) find themselves slotted ninth in the conference, two matches behind sixth-place Air Force, as the top six teams qualify for the Mountain West Championship next month in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In two starts last week, Taylor Underwood combined for 31 kills (3.88/set) and served up three aces, while Mikela Labno launched 23 non-returnables of her own (2.88/set), followed closely by Julia Haynie's 20 put-aways (2.50/set). In addition, McKenna Douglas (4.25 digs/set) and Heipua Tautua'a (3.88 digs/set) were mainstays along the back row, along with Bailey Darnell (2.88 digs/set).
Against Boise State, SDSU posted a .260 hitting percentage against a Bronco squad that limited its previous opponents to a .197 efficiency for the season entering last Thursday's encounter.
Individually, three Aztec players compiled 10 or more kills, led by Underwood's 13 put-aways, while Labno finished with a season-high 12 strikes and hit .458 on the night, committing just one error in 31 swings. Additionally, Haynie (.370) provided some offensive spark in the middle with 12 non-returnables, while freshmen Campbell Hague (7 kills) and Amber Keen (5 kills) made notable contributions off the bench.
The defense also played a huge part in the victory, as SDSU posted a season-best 72 digs overall, limiting Boise State to a .170 hitting percentage for the night. Tautua'a set a season-high with 20 scoops and contributed a solo block, while Douglas (15), Darnell (13) and Sarena Gonzalez (10) finished with double-digit dig totals.
Despite a 15-13 deficiency in kills during the fourth stanza, SDSU saved its best for last, committing just two errors in 32 swings during the set for a match-best .344 efficiency, while the Broncos posted a .225 clip (15-6-40). Keen took center stage with four kills in the frame, while Fatimah Hall served up a pair of aces.
The match seemed destined for a fifth set after Boise State grabbed a 10-5 advantage. The Aztecs had other ideas, however, manufacturing a crucial 14-4 run to steal the momentum. SDSU totaled three aces in that stretch, including two by Hall and another by Darnell. Additionally, Underwood and Keen blasted two kills apiece, while the Broncos imploded with three wayward attacks and a blocking error.
At Utah State, the Aztecs and Aggies combined for a whopping 43 ties and 20 lead changes in the see-saw battle, as the teams finished with nearly identical statistics. Despite trailing in hitting percentage (.219 to .217) and digs (61-54), USU maintained a slim advantage in kills (60-59), team blocks (12.0 to 11.0) and service aces (9-4) to hang on for the victory.
Underwood led all players with 18 kills and hit .308 against the Aggies, while Labno (11) and Haynie (10) also reached double figures in put-aways.
For the second straight match, three SDSU players produced double-digit dig totals, including Douglas, who scooped up a match-high 19 shots, followed by Tautua'a (11) and Darnell (10). Tautua'a also displayed her versatility with six kills and three blocks, including two solo stuffs, while Labno finished with a trio of stops as well (2 solo).
The Aztecs logged their best attack percentage of the match with a .444 efficiency in a wild fourth set, knocking down 18 kills against just two errors in 36 attempts. However, the Aggies countered with a .341 clip, blasting 22 put-aways against seven miscues in 44 swings to help keep the Scarlet and Black at bay.
The teams traded punches in a final frame that witnessed 15 ties and seven lead changes alone, with the Aztecs fighting valiantly to extend the match after overcoming a 14-8 deficit. SDSU forged a trio of late one-point leads but could not build on its good fortune. After a Labno solo block gave the visitors a 25-24 edge, the Aztecs were unable to regain the upper hand. The two sides alternated points on the ensuing five serves before a USU kill abruptly ended the affair.
As of Oct. 25, Underwood ranks ninth and 10th in the Mountain West for all matches in kills (3.15/set) and aces (0.35/set), respectively, while Hall is also slotted 10th in assists (5.92/set). In addition, Haynie (.342 hitting pct.) and Douglas (3.64/set) both occupy the seventh position in their respective statistics.
In conference matches, Underwood (3.60/set) has climbed into the third spot in kills, while Douglas is slotted fourth in digs (3.77/set). Elsewhere, Hall (6.28 assists/set) and Haynie (.291 pct.) rank ninth and 10th in their respective categories during MW action.
Against Air Force on Oct. 5, Underwood (.481) blasted a career-high 31 kills, which represents the highest figure in the Mountain West this season. Additionally, the Aztec opposite hitter set a school record for put-aways in the rally scoring era (since 2001) and logged the highest kill total by an SDSU player since Martina Vitkova-Engels (37) and Carrie Mapes (33) combined for 70 non-returnables in the Aztecs' five-set triumph over Wyoming in the first round of the Western Athletic Conference tournament during the sideout era on Nov. 25, 1997.
Heading into the weekend, Underwood has surpassed the double-digit kill barrier in nine straight matches, while Douglas has posted 10 or more digs in 11 consecutive outings.
Not to be outdone, Underwood's career-high five aces against both Denver and Eastern Washington are tied for the fifth-best output in the conference this season, while Hall's 47 assists vs. Cal State Fullerton in the season opener are tied for the fifth-highest total in a four-set match.
Underwood, Douglas and Hall are the only Aztecs to play all 78 sets this season, while Gonzalez has missed just four sets on the year.
Collectively, San Diego State sits among the top of half the conference in two statistics for all matches this week, ranking second in both kills (13.21/set) and assists (12.35/set). In addition, the Aztecs are slotted seventh in hitting percentage (.211) and digs (12.88/set) and 10th in service aces (1.23/set).
SDSU's total of 77 team kills and 75 assists vs. Air Force are the highest single-match totals in the conference so far this season, while its 50 put-aways and 48 helpers at UCSD are tied for the third-best figures in the league for a three-set contest this year.
In MW matches, the Aztecs rank third in both assists (12.35/set) and digs (13.63)/set), fifth in kills (13.21/set) and eighth in hitting percentage (.206).
On the national level, the Scarlet and Black occupies the 54th position with 12.35 assists per set and the 57th spot with 13.21 kills per set as of Oct. 25. In the fourth RPI ratings of the year, San Diego State ranks No. 173 in the nation, one of 10 Mountain West teams in the top 200 along with Utah State (19), Colorado State (72), New Mexico (105), Air Force (119), Boise State (121), Wyoming (122), UNLV (129), Fresno State (166) and San José State (185).
SDSU owns a 5-7 record in matches following a loss this season. In addition, the Aztecs are 2-4 in Thursday contests and 3-6 when playing on a Saturday this year. After completing three-set matches in nine of 11 non-conference encounters, all 10 of San Diego State's MW matches have gone at least four sets, including narrow five-set defeats at UNLV (Sept. 19), vs. Air Force (Oct. 5) and at Fresno State (Oct. 12). The Aztecs are 4-4 this season in four-set matches, including a 1-1mark in non-conference play.
Keen has seen extended action over the last three matches, blasting 17 kills (1.89/set) and hitting .389 while contributing seven total blocks (0.78/set). Hague, another freshman, has been vying for more playing time as well after knocking down 32 kills (1.60/set) in her last five appearances, including a season-high eight at Wyoming on Sept. 30.
Winners of two straight and eight of its last 10, New Mexico (15-6, 7-3 MW) has climbed into a tie for second place in the Mountain West with Boise State after a home sweep of Air Force (25-22, 25-23, 25-21) followed by a narrow four-set road triumph at San José State (25-23, 24-26, 26-24, 25-20). With their victories, the Lobos raised their record to 6-3 at home and a combined 9-3 mark in road/neutral matches.
UNM has been paced by Uxue Guereca, who ranks fourth in the conference with 3.58 kills per set for all matches, while fellow outside hitter Kaitlynn Biassou has climbed into the eighth spot with 3.19 put-aways per frame.
Defensively, libero Angela Crosetti leads the MW with 4.54 digs per set, which ranks 55th nationally, while Guereca (3.08/set) is slotted 10th in the conference in that statistic. Additionally, middle blocker Elizabeth Woods ranks third in the conference this week in blocks (1.26/set), while Athina Dimitriadis (1.01/set) occupies the 12th spot in that category.
Collectively, the Lobos lead the league in digs (16.54/set), blocks (2.54/set) and opponent hitting percentage (.157). However, UNM is slotted fifth in the conference with its own .217 attack percentage while ranking ninth in kills (12.32/set) and assists (11.04/set).
On the national stage, New Mexico ranks 18th in opponent hitting percentage (.157), 24th in digs per set (16.54) and 28th in blocks per set (2.54).
The Lobos are under the direction of fifth-year head coach Jon Newman-Gonchar, who arrived on the Albuquerque campus after spending the previous three seasons at Arkansas as associate head coach. Newman-Gonchar has also had stints as an assistant coach at Iowa State (2013-15), Loyola Marymount (2010-12), as well as UC San Diego with both the men's and women's teams (2007-09).
Despite dropping its last four encounters to New Mexico, San Diego State still leads the all-time series against the Lobos 44-25 in 69 meetings since 1976.
In the last match between the two squads on Oct. 7, UNM pulled away for a four-set victory (19-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-9) at Peterson Gym. The Aztecs captured the first set, out-hitting the Lobos .220 to .077, while maintaining the upper hand in kills 15-9. However, the Lobos posted a .325 efficiency the rest of the way, combining for just five attack errors against 32 kills in 83 attempts.
Individually, Underwood led all players with 16 kills and contributed three block assists, while Tautua'a reached double figures in the former category with 10 put-aways of her own.
The SDSU cause was also aided by Haynie (3 blocks) and Hague, who launched six non-returnables apiece, while Douglas led all players with a season-high 23 digs.
Prior to facing the Aztecs on Saturday, Air Force will play host to UNLV on Thursday night. The Falcons (13-8, 5-5 MW) occupy the sixth spot in the Mountain West standings after a home sweep of San José State on Oct. 21 (25-21, 25-14, 25-22), which snapped a four-match losing streak. With the win, Air Force evened its home record at 4-4 to go with a combined ledger of 9-4 in road/neutral contests.
The Falcons are led by middle blockers Joi Harvey (.406) and Mac Russ (.360) and who enter the week slotted second and fifth in the Mountain West in hitting percentage for all matches, respectively. In addition, Harvey (.463) and Russ (.361) are first and fourth in that statistic for conference matches.
Not to be outdone, Russ ranks seventh in blocks (1.09/set) for all matches, while Harvey occupies the 14th position (0.99/set) in that category.
In addition, libero Jordan Suan (3.76 digs/set) and setter Caroline Reinkensmeyer (7.71 assists/set). find themselves among the conference leaders as well, ranking sixth in their respective statistics.
Offensively, three Air Force players are averaging over two kills per set for the season, including Harvey (2.71), opposite hitter Aaryn Scires (2.26), and outside hitter Ella Tschour (2.26).
Collectively, the Falcons are holding down the fourth spot in the conference this week with a .239 hitting percentage while ranking sixth in blocks (2.35/set). However, Air Force is just eighth in kills (12.55/set) and assists (11.63/set) while occupying the 10th position in digs (12.01/set) and the basement in aces (1.15/set).
Along the sidelines, the Falcons are guided by Keith Barnett, who was elevated to head coach prior to the 2019 campaign after serving a four-year stint as an Air Force assistant, including the 2018 season as the team's associate head coach. Prior to his arrival at the Academy, Barnett was an assistant coach at West Texas A&M (2013-14) and the head coach at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs (2009-12). He played collegiately at Pepperdine, where he received second-team All-American honors at setter in 2001.
San Diego State holds a sizable 40-10 advantage over Air Force in the all-time series dating back to 1996. However, Falcons have captured eight of the last 14 meetings, including a dramatic five-set victory at Peterson Gym on Oct. 5 (25-23, 17-25, 20-25, 25-20, 15-13).
As a team, the Aztecs owned a sharp statistical advantage in kills (77-61) and digs (60-46) while maintaining the edge in hitting percentage (.304 to .289) and service aces (4-3).
However, the Falcons posted more team blocks (9.0 to 3.0) and benefited from 19 unforced errant attacks by SDSU, with the host school committing four costly ball-handling errors as well, along with a bad set.
After hitting .234 over the first three sets, Air Force posted a .389 attack percentage over the final two frames, totaling just four miscues in that span to complete the comeback.
Along with Underwood's aforementioned 31-kill performance, the Aztecs received double-digit put-aways from Tautua'a (13) and Haynie (12), while Hall completed a double-double with 37 assists and 13 digs. Additionally, Douglas totaled a match-high 17 digs, while Bailey Darnell added defensive support with 11 scoops of her own.
Following Saturday's trip to the Academy, San Diego State will play five of its next six matches at home, beginning with a pair of encounters against Nevada (Nov. 2) and Fresno State (Nov. 4). The Aztecs' clash with the Wolf Pack gets underway at 6 p.m. PT, while their showdown with the Bulldogs is slated for a 12:30 p.m. start.
Aztecs Prep for Road Matches at UNM, Air Force
