Sept. 5, 2003
TUCSON, Ariz. - Santa Clara University's volleyball team was pushed to the limit but prevailed with a 15-13 win in game five for a 3-2 victory over San Diego State Friday evening at the Wildcat Invitational in Tucson, Ariz. The 20th-ranked Broncos improve to 4-1 on the season while dropping the Aztecs' mark to 4-3.
"This was a good test for us tonight," said head coach Jon Wallace. "San Diego State is a very good team and to rally back from a 2-1 deficit for the victory will help us later on in the year when we are in the same situation again."
After taking game one rather easily by a 30-23 score, the Broncos lost the next two games by scores of 33-31 and 30-27. Senior All-American carried Santa Clara on her back in game four, posting eight kills with no errors on only 12 attacks in the game for a 30-25 victory that forced the fifth game.
Game five went back and forth for much of the contest until a Toni Muratore block gave the Broncos a spark and a two-point lead at 12-10. The two teams traded points from there on out until a Muratore kill ended the closely contested match.
Potter finished the game with a match-high 26 kills while fellow senior Becky Biniek and sophomore Cassie Perret each posted 16. Junior Jac Heler added 11 but it was her match-high 20 digs that proved vital to SCU's success.
Senior Kelli Sousa quarterbacked the offense beautifully once again, picking up 76 assists to go along with her 10 digs and seven kills. Sophomore libero Lexie Bothman posted a career-high 12 digs on the night.
San Diego State was led by senior Aspen McPartland who registered a triple-double on the evening with her 17 kills, 16 digs and 13 total blocks. She was the only Aztec in double-digit digs but the offense was bolstered by Zlatina Anguelova's 16 kills along with Kara Moriarty's 14.
The win was the Broncos' fourth in a row and moved them to a perfect 3-0 in the Wildcat Invitational. SCU can claim the championship with a win over Miami on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. The Hurricanes are currently 2-0 in the tournament with still a game to go against No. 10 Arizona on Friday night.
Following Saturday's match with Miami, the Broncos will prepare for the U.S. Bank/Arby's Classic hosted by Nebraska next weekend in Lincoln, Neb. Santa Clara will take on No. 5 Nebraska, No. 12 Georgia Tech and No. 25 Michigan State in that tournament.
