Schabort's Career Night Propels Aztecs to Road Sweep at Santa Clara

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Bolstered by Ella Schabort’s career-high 19 kills, the San Diego State volleyball team rolled to a 3-0 sweep of Santa Clara (25-15, 25-15, 25-22) on Friday in its opening match of the Santa Clara Mission Classic inside Leavey Center.

In addition, Schabort registered a collegiate-best .692 hitting percentage, committing just one error on 26 attempts, leading the Aztecs (4-2) to their third whitewash of the 2026 campaign.

Collectively, SDSU posted a .407 efficiency after blasting 46 kills on 91 swings with just nine miscues, finishing with its highest hitting percentage since recording a .410 clip in a home sweep of San Diego on Oct. 2, 2018.

Along with Schabort’s heroics, the Aztecs received another standout performance from freshman extraordinaire Layla Austin, who reached the double-digit kill plateau for the fifth time this year after launching 11 put-aways in 26 attempts with just two errors for a .346 efficiency.

Austin just missed a double-double after collecting nine digs for the night, trailing teammate Zara Stewart, who totaled a match-high 11 scoops, as the Scarlet and Black defense limited the Broncos (2-6) to a .135 hitting percentage.

The Aztec fortunes were also buoyed by Taelyn Bentley, who knocked down six kills in seven attempts without an error for a scintillating .857 efficiency, while Kendall Mairs led all players with 32 assists and added seven digs, tying teammate Nazare Judd, who set a season best in that latter statistic.

SDSU never trailed in the opening frame, as Austin led a balanced attack with four kills, while Bentley and Schabort launched three non-returnables apiece.

With the Aztecs clinging to a precarious 11-9 lead, Austin and Bentley followed with consecutive kills to spark an impressive 14-6 closing run, helping the Scarlet and Black capture the set going away. SDSU benefited from three Bronco service errors and a bad set in that span, while Schabort added two late kills following a put-away by Annabelle De Jager.

The Aztecs turned up the pressure in the second stanza by blasting 19 kills in 27 attempts with just two errors for a stellar .630 team hitting percentage. Schabort found her rhythm in the set, flooring seven of eight shots without a miscue for a .875 efficiency, Austin (.600) contributed four kills of her own.

In addition, the SDSU defense kept Santa Clara off-balance in the frame, as Austin collected three digs, while Judd, Stewart and Mairs scooped up two apiece.

Save for two early ties, including a 6-6 deadlock, the Aztecs led throughout, as consecutive kills by De Jager and Schabort capped a 10-3 blitz, prompting a Bronco timeout. Santa Clara was unable to draw closer than six points the rest of the way, as Haylee Brown came off the bench to smash two late kills, while Schabort followed the clinching put-away moments later.

The third set was a much tighter affair, as the two sides battled through eight ties and five lead changes. Consecutive kills by Bentley and Schabort snapped an 8-8 deadlock before the Aztecs seemingly seized control with an 18-13 advantage, courtesy of two additional put-aways by Austin and Schabort, respectively.

The Broncos fought desperately to extend the match after trimming the deficit to 23-22 on back-to-back kills by Tia Kapihe. After an Aztec timeout, Santa Clara’s comeback hopes were quickly dashed thanks to a service error, while Schabort fittingly provided the clinching point with her 19th kill, as the SDSU bench erupted in jubilation.

Schabort kept up her blistering pace with a .750 efficiency in the set, knocking down nine kills in 12 swings without an error, while Stewart anchored the Aztecs’ defense in that stretch with seven digs.

Following Friday's action, Schabort received Player of the Match distinction.

Santa Clara was led by Morgan Hayes’ nine kills, while Cate Shanahan finished with eight put-aways and eight digs in the loss.

San Diego State returns to the court on Saturday, Sept. 12 when it faces the California Golden Bears in its second match of the tournament, starting at 4 p.m. PT.