Aug. 24, 2012
Box Score
AUSTIN, Texas - Behind a double-digit kill effort from both senior outside hitter Amber Tatsch and junior middle hitter Katie Hoekman, the 19th-ranked University of San Diego women's volleyball team cruised its way to a 3-0 (25-10, 25-15, 25-20) win over Cal Poly in the season-opener Friday afternoon at the Burt Orange Classic.
Tatsch led all players with 13 kills on 24 swings, while committing no errors to hit for a .542 clip. Hoekman recorded 10 kills on 17 swings, while only committing one error to hit for a .529 clip. Junior setter Rachel Alvey led the team with 26 assists, while helping steer the Torero offense to a .439 team attack percentage. Senior libero Kandiss Anderson led the defensive end with nine digs.
In the first set, it was even in the early going. Then with the Toreros (1-0) trailing 3-2, a Carrie Baird kill ignited the San Diego offense to an 8-1 run, which was capped on a Baird service ace to give USD complete control of the momentum and a 10-4 lead. USD then went on a 7-3 run to take a 17-7 lead, and the Toreros never looked back, cruising their way to a 25-10 win.
In the second set, a Hoekman Kill jump-started the Torero offense, as USD opened the frame on a 7-3 run that was bookended on a Cal Poly (0-1) attack error. The two teams then traded point-for-point over the next several volleys, until a Tatsch kill sparked a 7-2 run to give USD a comfortable 16-9 lead. USD never looked back, as they went on to take a two-sets-to-none lead with a 25-15 victory.
In the third set, it was a much closer affair, as the Mustangs were able to hold steady with the Toreros through the first half of the frame. Then with the score knotted at 11-all, a Cal Poly service error sparked a 7-3 San Diego run to give the Toreros back the momentum and a 18-14 lead. The Mustangs would not get any closer than that, as the Toreros went on to complete the sweep, with a 25-20 win.
The Toreros will return to action on Saturday morning at 7 a.m. (PT) against LSU, and USD will conclude the first weekend of play with a 5 p.m. (PT) match against No. 2 Texas on Saturday as well.
