Sep 2, 2013
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The University of San Diego women's volleyball team has jumped into the AVCA top-25 poll at No. 14, after posting a 2-1 record this past week, including an upset win over No. 9 Hawaii.
The Toreros began the season with a 3-1 win over UTEP in the opening game of the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Classic. In this match, Katie Hoekman led all players with 18 kills on 24 swings, while only committing one error to hit for a .708 clip. Alaysia Brown was the second Torero in double-digit kills, as she recorded 14, and Taylor Hollins made her USD debut with 11 kills and eight digs. The final two USD players with double digit kills were Chloe Ferrari and Sandra Lozic, who had 10 kills apiece. C'era Oliveira led the team with 26 digs, while Rachel Alvey (29 assists) and Jianna Bonomi (26 assists) helped steer the Torero offense to a .273 team attack percentage.
USD then toopk the defending national champion and top-rankd Texas Longhorns to five sets, but was not able to complete the upset win. In this match, Hollins recorded a season-high 19 kills to pace the USD offense, while also recording seven digs. Ferrari recorded 16 kills, while hitting for a .450 clip, and she had a season-high seven blocks. Brown also had a great match with 16 kills, while hitting .350 and the last USD player in double-digit kills was Hoekman, who had 14 kills. Bonomi recorded a team-high 44 assists, and added in 12 digs to post a double-double, while Oliveira recorded a team-best 17 digs. As a team, USD hit 236.
IN the final match of the week, USD pulled off one of the biggest upsets in program history, they defeated No. 11 Hawaii, 3-2, on Hawaii's home floor. Lozic led the team with 22 kills, on 54 swings to hit for a .296 clip, and she recorded 12 digs to record her first double-double of the season. Brown recorded 14 kills and had four blocks, while Hoekman 13 kills and hit for a .409 clip. Ferrari recorded 11 kills and she had seven blocks. Bonomi recorded 34 assists and had nine digs, while Oliveira recorded a team-best 25 digs.
The Toreros will return to action on Friday at 4:30 p.m, as they open play in the Iowa State tournament against the host Cyclones.
