San Diego State women’s volleyball is ready to kick off Mountain West Conference play this Thursday at Fresno State. Despite a 5-6 start, the team feels confident they have all the pieces they need to be successful in the conference.
“We’ve identified some lineups we think may work and we know that the competition is something we are comfortable going into and playing against,” said head coach Brent Hilliard.
Finishing fifth in the MW last season, the Aztecs are looking forward to this year’s regular season play. During preseason, they faced competitive teams such as Louisiana State University, University of Oregon and University of San Diego to prepare them for their upcoming conference matches.
“I’m excited. I think we’re ready to go,” said freshman libero Zara Stewart. “Our team’s versatile and I love that about our team.”
One of the Aztecs’ strong suits is their offense. Senior opposite hitter Taylor Underwood leads the team in kills, racking up 126 total so far. Underwood is fifth in kills in the MW and is responsible for 23% of the Aztecs’ kills.
Junior outside hitter Ella Schabort and junior middle blockers Amber Keen and Campbell Hague are also big contributors to the Aztecs’ dominant offense. Schabort is second on the team in kills, totaling 88, while Keen and Hague rank third and fourth on the team, each with more than 60 kills.
Underwood and Keen have both received honors this season. This dynamic duo earned All-Tournament Team following the Jack Talmadge Classic this past weekend at SDSU.
“I think this year we’ve really been focusing on being well-rounded,” Underwood said.
The Aztecs have also shown strength on defense. Stewart leads the team in digs, recording 157 so far, making up 27% of the team’s total, and earning a starting role as a freshman. Stewart earned All-California Tournament Team this season following a tournament at the University of California, Berkeley, where she averaged 3.86 digs and 2.14 assists per game.
At the net, Keen and Hague also contribute defensively. Keen accounts for a little under half of the team’s blocks, with 36 total. Hague is not too far behind, with a total of 31 blocks. Together, the middle blockers account for 77% of the team’s total.
This season, the Aztecs are adding pressure from the service line. Ranked fifth in the MW, the Aztecs have accumulated 69 aces so far. Stewart and Mairs are tied for the most aces on the team, having 13 each. Hague and Schabort are right behind them, both contributing more than 10 aces.
“I feel like we have all the pieces we need,” coach Hilliard said. “We have depth in each position and we have some really elite competitors, some great freshmen and some great seniors.”
SDSU opens conference play on the road this week, facing the Fresno State Bulldogs (4-7) on Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. The Aztecs went 2-1 against the Bulldogs last season, with every match going to at least a fourth set. They’re hoping to break their road game slump, as they are 0-3 this season for away games.
Following two weeks on the road, the Aztecs will return home on Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. to face the New Mexico Lobos.
