Aztecs to Host CSU, Wyoming in Key MW Matches This Week

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State volleyball team opens a four-match homestand this week when it battles Colorado State and Wyoming in a pair of key Mountain West showdowns inside Aztec Court at Peterson Gym.

The Aztecs (13-12, 8-6 MW) will lock horns with the Rams on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 6 p.m. PT, before squaring off against the Cowgirls on Saturday, Nov. 15 at noon.

Both matches will feature live stats, while Thursday’s contest will air live on the Mountain West Network, with a link available on GoAztecs.com. Fans can also watch the SDSU-CSU clash on their TVs or smartphones by downloading the MW app.

Thursday’s match vs. CSU has been designated the team’s Western Night, and a free SDSU bandana will be presented to the first 250 fans in attendance.

The Aztecs will also celebrate Alumni Day for their battle with Wyoming, with the first 250 spectators receiving a free SDSU volleyball car sticker. Additionally, all fans who present their ticket to the SDSU-Boise State football game at the door will be admitted free to the Aztecs-Cowgirls volleyball contest.

This week’s matches represent the SDSU’s lone regular-season meetings against Colorado State and Wyoming.

WEEKLY WRAP
Entering the week, San Diego State sits in a tie for fourth place in the conference standings with Boise State (16-9, 8-6 MW) and Grand Canyon (16-9, 8-6 MW), one match behind third-place Wyoming (13-12, 9-5 MW) and two in back of second-place Colorado State (16-8, 10-4 MW), while Utah State (17-7, 14-0 MW) has clinched at least a share of the MW regular-season title.

The top six finishing teams will qualify for the Mountain West Championship, Nov. 26-29, in Las Vegas, Nev.

San Diego State split two matches in its final road trip of the regular season last week, posting a dramatic 3-2 victory at Grand Canyon on Nov. 6 (14-25, 25-20, 10-25, 25-16, 17-15) before dropping a four-set decision at New Mexico on Nov. 8 (25-22, 23-25, 23-25, 16-25).

Against the Lopes, the Aztecs overcame a 2-1 deficit in sets, posting a .345 hitting percentage over the final two frames to complete the comeback.

Collectively, SDSU trailed in many statistical categories, including kills (54-52), hitting percentage (.223 to .156) and team blocks (14.0 to 9.0). Additionally, the Scarlet and Black overcame 11 service errors with the help of seven aces while maintaining the edge in digs (62-58) to help pull out the win.

Taylor Underwood surpassed the 1,000-kill plateau in an Aztec uniform with 13 put-aways vs. GCU, while Ella Schabort (11 kills, 10 digs) and Kendall Mairs (18 assists, 12 digs) completed double-doubles.

The decisive fifth set featured 10 ties and five lead changes, as Underwood and Annelise Rising blasted three kills each in that span, while Schabort and Natalie Hughes contributed two each.

With the score knotted at 15-15, Hughes launched a kill to put the visitors in front for good, while the SDSU bench erupted in jubilation moments later following a subsequent Lopes attack error.

The Aztecs were unable to maintain their good fortune against the Lobos two days later despite the efforts of Underwood, who tied her season best with a match-high 22 kills, while Madison Corf (16 digs) and Talea Mitchell finished with nine terminations each.

Despite owning the statistical advantage in kills (61-52), SDSU was out-hit (.241 to .210), committing nine more unforced attack errors (16-7), while suffering 10 service errors. The Aztecs enjoyed a hot start, posting a .403 efficiency over the first two sets but hit just .056 over the final two frames

SERIES RECORD VS. COLORADO STATE
San Diego State trails the all-time series against the Rams 52-19 after dropping a 3-1 decision in the semifinals of the 2024 Mountain West Championship, which marked the last meeting between the two squads.

The Aztecs maintained a slim 55-53 edge in kills and a slight margin in team blocks (8.0 to 7.0) but were plagued by 10 CSU aces while committing nine service errors in the loss. After posting a .389 efficiency in the first set, SDSU hit just .186 over the final three frames, with the Rams employing timely runs to escape on each occasion.

Among returners, Taylor Underwood recorded 10 kills for the Scarlet and Black that day, while Natalie Hughes floored eight shots to go with a trio of block assists.

The Aztecs emerged triumphant the last time Colorado State invaded Peterson Gym, completing a dramatic reverse sweep (19-25, 23-25, 25-21, 25-20, 15-11).

The two teams were evenly matched, with the SDSU holding a slight edge in kills (67-65) and team blocks (8.0 to 7.0). Additionally, the Scarlet and Black served up a season-high 11 aces to key the victory.

After hitting just .062 in the opening set with 10 kills offset by eight errors in 32 attempts, San Diego State posted a .333 efficiency for the remainder of the match to help complete the reverse sweep.

Talea Mitchell tied for match-high honors with a career-best 24 kills, while Taylor Underwood launched 10 non-returnables of her own.

The Aztecs saved their best for last, hitting .421 in the final frame with 10 kills against just two errors in 19 attempts. After an early 3-3 deadlock, SDSU vaulted in front for good with an 8-3 surge, as consecutive put-aways by Underwood and Mitchell increased the host school’s advantage to 11-6.

SERIES RECORD VS. WYOMING
San Diego State leads the all-time series against Wyoming 40-26 in 66 meetings since 1985.

Last season, the Aztecs recorded a pair of 3-0 whitewashes to complete a season sweep of the Cowgirls for the first time since the 2012 campaign.

In last year’s blanking of Wyoming in San Diego, the Scarlet and Black logged a .318 efficiency, committing just eight errors for the day against 43 kills in 110 attempts. On the flip side, the SDSU defense limited the Cowgirls to a .197 clip, as the host school benefited from 16 attack errors and 11 wayward serves.

Collectively, the Aztecs maintained the statistical advantage in team blocks (8.0 to 2.0) while holding the edge in kills (43-39) and digs (54-53).

Individually, Taylor Underwood blasted a match-high 14 kills with just one error in 24 attempts for a stellar .542 hitting percentage. The SDSU opposite hitter also came up huge defensively with three blocks, including a solo stuff.

SDSU IN MW RANKINGS
As of Nov. 12, opposite hitter Taylor Underwood occupies the third spot in the Mountain West with 3.62 kills per set, while libero Zara Stewart is slotted fourth in the league with 3.65 digs per set. Despite missing the last six matches, middle blocker Amber Keen still finds herself among the conference leaders this week, ranking fifth with a .337 hitting percentage.

Madison Corf’s career-high .750 hitting percentage (16-1-20) against UC San Diego on Sept. 18 marks the top efficiency in the league so far this season, while Annelise Rising’s collegiate-best .682 clip (16-1-22) at Boise State ranks seventh just ahead of Keen, who set a career high with a .650 hitting percentage (14-1-20) vs. Oregon at the Long Beach State Tourney on Sept. 11.

Not to be outdone, Corf’s .750 efficiency is tied for the fourth-highest individual hitting percentage in the country this season.

Stewart collected a career-high 26 digs vs. New Mexico on Oct. 9, which represents the second-highest total in the conference during a four-set match so far this year and is tied for third overall.

Setter Kendall Mairs served up five aces against LSU at the Flo Hyman Classic on Sept. 5, which is tied for the fifth-best figure in the MW thus far.

Campbell Hague and Ella Schabort recorded four aces apiece vs. Omaha at the same tournament the following day, which tied for the 12th-highest figure in the conference. Schabort later duplicated the feat at home against New Mexico on Oct. 9.

Underwood equaled her season best with 22 kills at New Mexico on Nov. 8, which is tied for the 10th-best total in the league and is tied for the second-highest in a four-set match.

Entering the week, San Diego State is slotted third in the Mountain West with a .196 opponent hitting percentage for all matches (.193).

In addition, the Aztecs rank fifth in the conference in service aces (1.46/set) while occupying the seventh position in both kills (12.57/set) and assists (11.61/set).

Elsewhere, SDSU is slotted eighth in blocks (2.11/set) while ranking ninth digs (13.55/set).

The Aztecs’ 14 service aces against Omaha is tied for the top team performance in the conference so far this season.

In addition, SDSU’s 14 aces equaled its highest total since Nov. 23, 2001, in a three-set triumph over Denver at the Wildcat Classic in Tucson, Arizona.

The Aztecs’ .369 team hitting percentage vs. UCSD is tied for the ninth-best clip in the MW thus far.

SDSU's 50 kills at Nevada on Oct. 4 is tied for the sixth-highest total in the three-set match in the conference.

ODDS AND ENDS
The Aztecs have held 24 of 25 opponents under a .300 hitting percentage this year. SDSU allowed its first adversary to hit over .300 when UNLV posted a .314 efficiency on Oct. 18.

The Aztecs are 8-4 thus far when limiting the opposition below a .200 efficiency. Last season, SDSU went 16-0 when holding opponents to a hitting percentage below .200.

SDSU is 6-0 this season when out-blocking the opposition and 10-2 when maintaining a greater hitting percentage. Last year' the Aztecs went 16-5 when leading in blocks and 19-3 when out-hitting their opponents.

SDSU is 7-6 in matches following a victory in 2025 and 6-5 in contests following a loss.

Senior Taylor Underwood had her streak of double-digit kills snapped at 15 straight matches after posting eight terminations at Utah State on Oct. 23. Still, the Aztec opposite hitter has 10 or more kills in 21 of 23 appearances this year after rebounding with a match-high 18 put-aways at Boise State on Oct. 25. The Norco, California, native also ranks fourth on the squad with 50 blocks, highlighted by a career-best three solo rejections vs. LSU on Sept. 5.

With 344 kills this season, Underwood also becomes the first Aztec to record 300 put-aways in three straight years since Deja Harris from 2016-18.

Underwood needs just 56 kills to become the first SDSU player to record 400 put-aways in a single season since Melanie Greene (404) in 2006.

Freshman libero Zara Stewart has surpassed the double-digit barrier for digs in 23 of 25 matches this year, including a career-high 26 scoops vs. New Mexico on Oct. 9. She also led all players with 22 digs against Grand Canyon on Oct. 16.

MATCH CONNECTIONS
Colorado State middle blocker Brenna Rowland and SDSU middle blocker/outside hitter Talea Mitchell competed against one another as prep players in Arizona during the 2022 campaign. Mitchell’s Millennium High team (Goodyear) recorded a 3-1 victory on the road over Rowland’s Chaparral High (Scottsdale) squad in a non-conference match. Competing as a sophomore, Mitchell contributed seven kills and 12 block assists, while Rowland, then a senior, finished with nine put-aways and three block assists, according to MaxPreps.

Similarly, Aztec right-side hitter Natalie Hughes and Wyoming setter Sara Quigley also squared off on the McKinney, Texas high school scene in 2022. Hughes’ North High team split two matches against Quigley’s Boyd High squad, posting a 2-0 sweep in a preseason tournament before falling in four sets in another non-conference match just three days later. Hughes competed as a senior that season, while Quigley was a sophomore. In the rematch, Hughes recorded a team-high 21 kills and collected five blocks, including four solo stops, according to MaxPreps, but it wasn’t enough.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSTION
Despite dropping two road matches at Boise State and Utah State last week, Colorado State (16-8, 10-4 MW) still maintains its second-place standing in the Mountain West race.

With the results, CSU slips to 7-5 in road/neutral matches this season while maintaining a 9-3 mark at home.

Individually, the Rams sport four starters who are averaging over two kills per set, including junior Eve Wilson (2.85), sophomore Maria Brun (2.78), freshman Halle Jameson (2.72) and redshirt sophomore Kekua Richards (2.28).

Setting up the CSU offense is redshirt freshman Erin Debiec, who ranks second in the conference with 10.14 assists per set, which is good for 33rd nationally as of Nov. 12. In addition, Richards occupies the fifth spot in the MW in blocks (1.40/set), while Brun is slotted sixth in aces (0.30/set, 28 overall).

Elsewhere, junior Brenna Rowland has missed the last two matches but still ranks sixth in the conference with a .335 hitting percentage, while senior Aine Doty anchors the Rams’ back row with a team-leading 3.24 digs per set.

Collectively, CSU is slotted second in the Mountain West in hitting percentage (.250), kills (13.41/set) and opponent hitting percentage (.179) while ranking third in assists (12.42) and blocks (2.71).

Wyoming (16-9, 9-5 MW) is slotted third in the conference standings after splitting two road matches last week, knocking off Boise State in four sets before suffering a three-set sweep at Utah State.

With the results, the Cowgirls move to 5-7 in road/neutral matches while maintaining an 8-5 record at home.

Wyoming has been paced by versatile middle blocker Sarah Holcomb, who leads the MW with 1.46 blocks per set and ranks second with a .344 hitting percentage. The Cowgirl senior also occupies the second position on the squad with 2.56 kills per set, trailing junior Paige Lauterwasser (2.62/set).

Senior Skylar Erickson also finds herself among the conference leaders, ranking fifth in digs (3.61/set), while freshman Sara Quigley (6.15 assists/set) and senior Jordan Sandy (1.13 blocks/set) are slotted sixth and 10th their respective categories.

As a team, Wyoming occupies the second spot in the MW in digs (15.01/set) and the fourth position in blocks (2.67/set) but opponents are hitting at a .212 clip, which ranks just eighth in the league.

In addition, the Cowgirls own the fourth-best hitting percentage in the conference at .216 but are slotted just sixth in kills (12.81/set) and assists (11.87).

ON THE HORIZON
Following the week’s matches, San Diego State wraps up its regular-season slate when it plays host to San José State (Nov. 20) and Fresno State (Nov. 22).