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Aztecs to play 16 home matches this fall
Source: goaztecs.com
Photo courtesy goaztecs.com
June 22, 2022 (San Diego) - San Diego State volleyball head coach Brent Hilliard announced the team’s eagerly awaited schedule for the 2022 campaign, with the Aztecs set to play 30 matches this fall, highlighted by 18 Mountain West encounters and 12 non-conference affairs.
In all, SDSU’s attractive yet challenging slate features eight opponents that qualified for postseason competition last year, while eight other adversaries finished with a winning record, combining for a 150-88 mark (.631) in 2021.
After a road exhibition at UC Irvine, the Aztecs open their regular-season schedule in earnest with the first of two home tournaments, playing host to California (Aug. 26), Army West Point (Aug. 27) and UC San Diego (Aug. 27) in the San Diego State Invitational.
The Aztecs’ encounter with the Cadets marks the first meeting between the two programs, while their clash with the Golden Bears will be the first since 2012. In addition, the tournament finale will represent San Diego State’s first match against the Tritons as a Division I foe.
The Scarlet and Black will then travel up the coast to Malibu, California, the following week for the ASICS Classic, where it will lock horns with Baylor (Sept. 2), host Pepperdine (Sept. 3) and UC Santa Barbara (Sept. 3) in succession.
The Bears advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last fall, while the Waves were first-round participants. Additionally, the Aztecs will be seeking their fourth straight victory over the Gauchos dating back to 2015.
San Diego State subsequently returns to the friendly confines of Peterson Gym to conduct its second home event, welcoming Maryland (Sept. 9), Arizona (Sept. 9) and Sacramento State (Sept. 10) for the Aztec Classic.
SDSU split their two previous meetings against the Terrapins, posting a four-set victory in 1990 before dropping a narrow five-set decision in 1998. In addition, the Aztecs will be looking to put the brakes on a four-match slide vs. the Wildcats, while the Hornets invade Peterson Gym for the first time in program history after escaping with a five-set triumph in the state capital way back in 1994.
San Diego State continues its lengthy homestand with a pair of clashes against perennial NCAA Tournament participants in UCLA (Sept. 15, home) and San Diego (Sept. 17, road) as part of the three-team SDSU/USD Challenge. The Aztecs will be hosting the Bruins for the second year in a row
The Aztecs will then host their first two Mountain West matches the following week when they lock horns with San José State (Sept. 22) and Nevada (Sept. 24).
With 18 conference matches in an unbalanced schedule, San Diego State will face each MW school both at home and on the road, except for New Mexico (Oct. 20 – away) and Air Force (Oct. 22 – home).
The Aztecs will then embark on the longest road swing of their league slate, traveling to Fresno State (Sept. 27), UNLV (Oct. 1), Utah State (Oct. 7) and Boise State (Oct. 8), respectively.
Similarly, the same four teams will comprise SDSU’s longest homestand of their Mountain West docket the following month when the Broncos (Nov. 3), Aggies (Nov. 5), Bulldogs (Nov. 7) and Rebels (Nov. 10) visit “America’s Finest City” in a seven-day stretch.
The Aztecs posted two of their biggest conference victories against Boise State and UNLV on the road last season, sweeping the eventual MW Tournament champion Broncos before recording a five-set thriller over the Rebels, who went on to capture the NIVC Tournament crown.
The fall also features home and away clash against defending regular-season league co-champion Colorado State and Wyoming. The Scarlet and Black hosts the Rams (Oct. 13) and Cowgirls (Oct. 15) before venturing to the Front Range of the Rockies for respective rematches shortly thereafter, Oct. 27 and Oct. 29.
SDSU wraps up its regular-season schedule on the road, squaring off against the same two teams it began conference play with—Nevada (Nov. 17) and San Jose State (Nov. 19).
The Mountain West Championship will be conducted at CSU’s Moby Arena in Fort Collins, Colorado, from Nov. 23-25, with the league’s top six teams vying for the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The MW Championship was held from 1999-2007 and was revived for one season in 2011. The tournament was scheduled to resume in the fall of 2020 but was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With Coach Hilliard entering his third season at the controls, San Diego State will benefit from the arrival of eight talented newcomers, including AVCA High School All-Americans Madison Corf and Kat Cooper, along with Division I transfers Elly Schraeder and Kayla Rivera. Also featured in that group are former prep stars Cara Braun, McKenna Douglas and Ellie Geoghegan.
In addition, the Aztecs welcome back nine letterwinners from last year’s squad, including a trio of starters in outside hitter Heipua Tautua’a, middle blocker Julia Haynie and setter Noa Miller.
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