Matt FitzGeraldForgive the San Diego State women’s volleyball team if it seems overly happy – it’s just that it hasn’t experienced this feeling for a long time.
For the first time in 2004, it is on a winning streak. Even if it is just two in a row, it’s a big difference from the 14 and four-game losing streak it has endured thus far.
“It feels great to double our win total in one weekend,” senior outside hitter Kara Moriarty said, referring to this past weekend’s victories over New Mexico and Air Force.
“Our team cohesiveness is way up, and we’re feeling a lot more comfortable with each other.”
The Aztecs (3-17, 3-4) will look to extend the streak against the Rebels (10-7, 4-3), who swept them Sep. 24 in Las Vegas. In that match, UNLV dominated all three games while SDSU could only muster a .106 hitting percentage.
“It was our first conference match and my first since being injured in the first match of the year. So, I think we’ll show we’re a much better team than in the past,” Moriarty said.
Still, the Aztecs hope they will be a different team this time around, and their recent play has suggested so. In its 3-0 sweep against the Lobos last Friday, the defense was able to hold them to a minuscule .030 hitting percentage in game two, showing the tenacious defense that it must keep in order to make some more noise in the Mountain West Conference. SDSU’s opponents are currently averaging a league-high .279 hitting percentage against them.
“I think New Mexico was taken back by how good we are. They didn’t believe we were capable of doing what we did,” head coach Mark Warner said.
The following night’s match against Air Force was perhaps the Aztecs’ finest showing all year, as they crushed the visiting Falcons 3-0. They hit .357 for the match – the first time they finished with an attack percentage above the .300 mark this season – and a high of .481 in game two.
SDSU is now tied for fifth place in the MWC standings, but before it can get too excited it must take on a Rebel squad that is coming off two consecutive sweeps. Outside hitter Maria Aladjova is averaging 3.95 kills per game – top in the MWC.
“UNLV is a very crafty team. They’re physically not that impressive but have very smart, good players that will mix things up on you,” Warner said.
Freshman defensive specialist Aime Cordeiro will be counted on to clean up whatever Aladjova or any of her teammates hit her way. She has done a great job thus far, averaging 3.76 digs per game – good for fourth place on the MWC list.
The Aztecs are getting some more offensive firepower themselves, as Moriarty has averaged just less than four kills in her last four matches. She recorded 10 kills in Saturday’s match, her third consecutive contest in double figures for kills.
“We’ve improved in every aspect. Our kills and blocks are up. If you looked at the conference stats a few weeks ago, we were at the bottom in almost every category,” Warner said. “Now we’re in the middle or at the top of a lot of charts, and it’s a sign that the players never lost their confidence and gave up.”
