USD Toreros
USD Toreros Women's Volleyball
 
Toreros Prep for Pivital Match with Saint Mary's
USD will battle SMC this Saturday in a match that has WCC title implications on the line.

Kelsi Myers.
 
Kelsi Myers.
  

Nov. 9, 2009

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WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE: The 25th-ranked University of San Diego women's volleyball team (16-6, 8-3 WCC) will conclude its regualr-season road matches this week as they head back to the Bay Area to take on first place Saint Mary's College in a 1 p.m. West Coast Conference match on Saturday.

LAST TIME OUT: The Toreros posted a 1-1 record this past week, as they defeated Santa Clara 3-2, then fell to San Francisco 3-0. In Thursday's win, junior right side Ali Troost recorded a career-high 34 kills on 50 swings to post a .540 attack percentage to lead all players offensively. The 34 kills, ties her for fourth in single-match kills at USD. Senior middle hitter Torey Ellick also had a big night for the Toreros as she recorded 13 kills and hit for as .423 clip. Kayleen Webster recorded a match-best 14 digs, while Kelsi Myers racked up 59 assists in helping lead the team to a .312 attack percentage. In Saturday's loss to the Dons, Troost recorded her 15 kills on 41 swings to lead the San Diego offense. Torey Ellick recorded eight kills, while Kelsi Myers recorded 31 assists. As a team, USD hit for a .144 clip.

A LOOK AHEAD: The Toreros close out the 2009 regular-season next week at home when they host the University of Portland on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Jenny Craig Pavilion. Then on Saturday, the Toreros will have its annual senior night when the Gonzaga University Bulldogs come to town for a 1 p.m. match. The Toreros will honor seniors Kayleen Webster and Torey Ellick.

SCOUTING THE GAELS: Saint Mary's College enters the week with an overall record of 18-4, and are in first place in the WCC with a 10-1 record. Last week, the Gaels picked up a pair of 3-1 wins over Santa Clara and San Francisco. The Toreros lead the all-time series at 40-6, including claiming the first meeting this season, 3-1, back on Oct. 17 in San Diego. The Gaels offense is led by Lauren Corp, who has a team-best 267 kills, is third on the team with 201 digs, and is hitting at a .265 clip. The floor leader for Saint Mary's is Kapua Kamana'o, who leads the team with 577 assists, while helping steer the Gaels offense to a .272 team attack percentage. SMC is under the direction of fifth-year head coach Rob Browning. During his time in Moraga, Browning has posted an overall record of 65-45.

LAST TIME VS. SMC: San Diego captured the first meeting on Oct. 17, 3-1, inside the friendly confines of the Jenny Craig Pavilion. In the match, Ali Troost recorded a team-best 21 kills on 54 swings, while committing six errors to post a .278 attack percentage, and she notched another double-double with 11 digs. Ashton Basch was the second Torero in double digit kills as she had 15, while hitting for a .290 clip and Torey Ellick was the final USD player in double digit kills with 12. Kayleen Webster recorded a match-best 23 digs and Kelsi Myers also notched a double-double with 53 assists and 14 digs.

THE POLLS: The Toreros dropped three spots to No. 25 in the latest AVCA top-25 poll after posting a 1-1 record this past week. Saint Mary's moved up two spots to No. 23 in the latest AVCA top-25 poll.

ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS: Junior right side Ali Troost notched her name in the USD single-match kill record book with her 34 kill performance against Santa Clara this past week. The 34 kills ranks her tied for fourth with former Torero All-American Kristen Carlson, who recorded 34 kills twice in her career. Troost not only had the 34 kills, but also hit for a .540 clip in the win. On the season, Troost continues to lead the team's offense as she has 330 kills, is hitting at a .319 clip, and has 142 digs.

NATION'S ELITE: Junior setter Kelsi Myers is currently ranked third in the nation in assists per set (12.07). Myers recorded a career-high in assists on Nov. 17 in a win over UC Irvine, when she racked up 63. On the season, Myers has now recorded 1002 assists and has helped steer the USD offense to a .267. Myers has also been busy on the defensive side of things, as she is third on the team with 156 digs.

THE WCC RACE HEATS UP: With three matches to go in the regular-season, the race for the WCC championship is red hot. San Diego is looking to win its fourth consecutive WCC crown, however Saint Mary's lead USD by two matches, but the two clash this week in a pivotal match. If USD wins, then the Toreros will need the Gaels to drop one of their two final matches against Gonzaga and Portland next week, and USD will need to win both matches next week to share the title. Should USD lose, the Gaels will clinch the WCC championship.

LIGHTS, CAMERA ACTION: All USD home matches, as well as select road matches, will be streamed live via video on the athletics department website. Fans can watch all the action live from the comfort of their home by logging onto usdtoreros.com. There is no cost for this service. The Toreros will also be adding in a live play-by-play with the home video stream this season, as Paul Duchesne will be calling all the action.

TOREROS TABBED AS FAVORIATES TO WIN WCC: Fresh off its fourth conference championship in the last five years, the University of San Diego has once again been selected as the preseason favorite to take home the 2009 West Coast Conference regular season title. The Toreros, who will be returning five starters from last year's squad, received the maximum seven first place votes for a total of 49 points. Head Coach Jennifer Petrie returns the reigning WCC Player of the Year in Amy Mahinalani DeGroot as well as Ali Troost, both of whom were named to the preseason all-conference team, also selected by the league's head coaches.

DEGROOT TO REDSHIRT IN 2009: San Diego senior outside hitter Amy Mahinalani DeGroot will sit out the 2009 season with a medical redshirt. Last season, DeGroot led the team with 392 kills (4.22 kps) and was second in digs with 231 en route to being named the WCC Player of the Year and earning an All-America honorable mention honor from the AVCA. DeGroot will return in the 2010 season.

THE COACH: 11th-Year head coach Jennifer Petrie has done an outstanding job directing the fortunes of San Diego volleyball since taking over as the Toreros head coach in 1999. Honored as the 2004 and 2008 West Coast Conference Coach of the Year, Petrie continues to establish the University of San Diego as one of the top volleyball programs in the nation. In nine complete seasons as head coach, Petrie has led San Diego to seven appearances in the NCAA Tournament (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 & 2008) with her 2004 team reaching the Sweet-16.