Aztecs Sweep USF for First Victory of 2025 Season

BERKELEY, Calif. – Buoyed by Campbell Hague’s career-high 11 kills, the San Diego State volleyball team swept past San Francisco (25-16, 25-19, 25-20) in its final match of the California Tournament on Saturday inside Haas Pavilion.

Despite trailing in team blocks (9.0 to 5.0), the Aztecs (1-1) maintained a sizeable advantage in kills (39-22), digs (49-37) and service aces (9-5) to fuel their first victory of the season.

Hague hit .421 on the day, leading all players with 11 kills on 19 attempts with just three errors while setting a personal best with five digs and matching her collegiate high with four block assists in an all-round effort.

In addition, the Scarlet and Black received nine kills from Ella Schabort, who hit at a .400 clip with just one miscue on 20 swings, while Kendall Mairs (.417) and Taylor Underwood launched six non-returnables apiece.

Mairs displayed her versatility as well, totaling a match-high 25 assists and contributing nine digs.

Not to be outdone, Madison Corf (4 kills, 2 aces) paced the Aztec defense with a team-best 12 digs, while Zara Stewart reached the double-digit plateau with 10 scoops to go with eight assists and two aces of her own.

The teams traded proverbial punches in the opening frame, combining for six ties and three lead changes, before the Scarlet and Black vaulted in front for good at 10-9 following a combined block by Hague and Schabort.

Nursing a precarious 17-14 advantage after an errant serve, SDSU displayed a strong finishing kick with a decisive 8-2 closing run to capture the set. Hague floored two consecutive shots down the stretch and later joined forces with Underwood on a block for the clinching point.

The Aztecs limited the Dons (0-1) to a .000 hitting percentage in the first stanza, as seven attack errors offset seven kills in 37 attempts, while four errant serves also proved costly for USF.

SDSU employed a timely 10-3 run to erase an early 3-2 deficit and seize the upper hand for the remainder of the second set. Hague and Schabort knocked down two kills apiece in that stretch, while Keira Herron and Stewart each served up an ace.

The Dons fought back to tighten the score at 16-15 after combined block by Hokulani Perez and Emilija Arsic. However, the Aztecs utilized a 9-4 surge to keep USF at bay in the latter stages of the frame. Corf and Hague keyed the run with two kills each, while the SDSU duo teamed up on a block for the final point.

In all, Hague launched six kills in the set, hitting .625 in the stretch after committing just one error in eight attempts.

The Dons gave the Aztecs all they could handle in the third frame, as the two sides witnessed seven ties and three lead changes. USF nudged in front 14-13 following an Abby Wadas ace. However, three Schabort kills and two by Amber Keen, sprinkled in with another Herron service ace, sparked a 7-1 spurt that put the Scarlet and Black in control at 20-15.

Corf and Stewart each added an ace down the stretch, while Schabort and Underwood provided consecutive kills to complete the sweep. Collectively, the Aztecs totaled 15 kills in the set, with Schabort (.500) blasting six in that stretch, while Underwood (.375) launched four.

Hannah Taylor finished with seven kills to lead USF, while Wadas led all players with 15 digs in the loss.

San Diego State will hit the road once again next week when it travels to the Lone Star State for the Flo Hyman Classic, Sept. 4-6, in Houston, Texas, where the Aztecs will battle the host Houston Cougars, LSU and Omaha on successive days.