Sept. 3, 2011

Box Score

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Both Amber Tatsch and Chloe Ferrari recorded double-digit kills, while Katie Hoekman racked up six blocks as the 20th-ranked University of San Diego women's volleyball team swept away Missouri State University in the championship match of the USD Tournament Saturday evening at the Jenny Craig pavilion.

With the 25-19, 25-16, 26-24 win, the Toreros remain undefeated on the season, as they improve to 6-0. With the loss, the Bears fall to 4-2 overall.

Tatsch led all players with her 14 kills on 28 attempts to post a .393 attack percentage, while Ferrari recorded her 20 kills on 16 swings and only had one error to post a .562 attack percentage. Hoekman and Carrie Baird each had seven kills a piece with Hoekman recording six blocks. Rachel Alvey recorded 38 assists in helping steer the USD offense to a .320 attack percentage. For her efforts this weekend, Hoekman was tabbed the tournament's MVP, while both Tatsch and Ferrari were also selected to the All-Tournament team.

In the first set, USD got off to a slow start, and Missouri State was there to take advantage of it, as the Bears raced out to a 6-1 lead, which forced the Toreros to call a timeout. Out of the break, the Toreros began to fire on all cylinders, as a Tatsch kill off a set from Alvey sparked a 7-0 Toreros run to give USD its first lead of the set and all the momentum, which in turn forced MSU into a timeout. The two teams then began to trade point-for-point over the next several volley's, and then with the score knotted at 14-all, a C'era Oliveira service ace ignited a 7-2 San Diego run to give the home team a 21-16 lead. USD then cruised to a 25-19 win to grab a 1-0 lead.

In the second set. USD continued on with the momentum from the end of the first set, as a MSU attack error ignited a 5-1 Torero run to start things off. The Bears then rallied back and pulled even with USD at 7-7, and again at 8-8. However, San Diego went back to work, as they began to slowly pull away from the visitors, and went on to build up a five-point lead at 15-10, and never looked back, as they took set two 25-16, to go into the break up two sets to none.

In the third and final set, Missouri State led a majority of the way through it, and seemed to be in control of the momentum. Then late in the set with USD trailing 22-19, a Ferrari kill appeared to wake up the Toreros offense as San Diego strung together a 4-1 run to pull even with MSU at 23-23 thanks to a block by Hoekman and Alvey. USD would then grab match-point on a Jianna Bonomi service ace, but MSU found a way to once again even the score at 24-all. However, Hoekman had other ideas, as she had her hand in the final two points for USD, a kill then a huge block assist with Alvey to seal the win.

The Toreros will return to action on Thursday, as they travel to Durham, N.C. to take on Duke University in a 4 p.m. non-conference match.

USD Tournament All-Tournament Team
Katie Hoekman (San Diego) - MVP
Amber Tatsch (San Diego)
Chloe Ferrari (San Diego)
Calli Norman (Missouri State)
Karen Rivotto (Missouri State)
Monique Holt (UC Riverside)
Natalia Skiba (Northeastern