San Diego Volleyball : For First Time Ever, USIU Beats Aztecs

For the first time ever, the United States International University defeated San Diego State in women’s volleyball, 15-8, 15-8, 15-8, in the final of the fifth San Diego Classic Wednesday night at the University of San Diego’s Sports Center.

The 17th-ranked Aztecs, who had won the four previous San Diego Classics, had been 5-0 against USIU, including a 3-0 victory in last year’s tournament.

The Aztecs (3-6) now have lost four of their last five matches since Kris Morton, a junior All-American middle blocker, was suspended indefinitely from the team for personal reasons.

SDSU had opened the season ranked ninth. If the Aztecs now fall out of the top 20, it would be the first time SDSU has not been ranked since 1977, Coach Rudy Suwara’s first season.

USIU, under Coach Kurt Donaldson, is 11-3.

“Our team moved to a new level tonight,” Donaldson said. “I told the (USIU) players that we were going to need a career night. Every kid was going to have to make some plays they never had made before.”

Suwara put the match in a different perspective.

“We’re young and I hope we get better,” Suwara said. “I hope it’s sooner than later. We had some leads and didn’t keep them. That’s inexperience. I guess we haven’t learned how to win yet.”

With Morton out of the lineup, senior middle blocker Angelica Jackson is SDSU’s only returning starter from last season’s team. Jackson finished with a match-high 17 kills.

The Gulls outscored SDSU, 7-1, after the Aztecs led, 5-1, in Game 1. They outscored SDSU, 7-0, after the Aztecs led, 6-0, in Game 2, and 6-0 after the Aztecs led, 4-2, in Game 3.

Nancy Dome led USIU with 12 kills and outside hitter Claudia Johnson added 10 kills and 5 blocks.

USIU advanced to the final with a 15-10, 15-4, 15-1 victory over the University of San Diego (2-7). SDSU defeated UC San Diego, the NCAA Division III defending national champion, 15-2, 15-13, 13-15, 15-8.