News Summary
San Diego State University volleyball players Taylor Underwood and Amber Keen have both received All-Tournament honors at the USD/SDSU Jack Talmadge Volleyball Classic. Underwood led with 51 kills, while Keen boasted a .490 hitting percentage. Both players made significant contributions to SDSU’s performance throughout the tournament, showcasing their skills ahead of upcoming Mountain West conference matches against Fresno State and San José State.
San Diego, CA – San Diego State University (SDSU) volleyball players Taylor Underwood and Amber Keen have both earned All-Tournament honors at the USD/SDSU Jack Talmadge Volleyball Classic, held from September 18 to 20. The recognition comes after the duo’s standout performances during the tournament, which saw SDSU face off against multiple competitors.
Underwood, a senior volleyball player, demonstrated her offensive prowess throughout the tournament, leading SDSU with a total of 51 kills and an impressive average of 4.25 kills per set across three matches. She recorded double-digit kills in each match and made significant contributions defensively with seven block assists. In particular, Underwood had her best performance of the season against UC San Diego, achieving a .359 hitting percentage with 18 kills while committing only four errors in 39 attempts. Additionally, she set a season-high of 19 kills in a closely contested five-set match against the University of San Diego, where she notably contributed five crucial kills in the third set.
Keen, a junior, also showcased her talents at the tournament, leading the team with a remarkable .490 hitting percentage. She achieved 28 kills with just three errors out of 51 attempts, averaging 2.33 kills per set. Her performance against UC San Diego was particularly noteworthy; Keen registered a .563 hitting efficiency with nine kills, all without errors, and contributed five blocks, including a solo block. In the match against the University of San Diego, she maintained a solid .500 hitting percentage, scoring 12 kills against only two errors, along with a team-high four blocks.
In their match against Yale, Underwood once again led the SDSU team, recording 14 kills and achieving a .385 hitting percentage. Keen also made a significant impact, contributing seven kills and maintaining a .400 hitting percentage, alongside adding three blocks.
The impressive performances of both players have not gone unrecognized this season. Underwood, a two-time all-Mountain West honoree, has seen her average kill rate rise from 2.88 to 3.32 kills per set, currently ranking fifth in the Mountain West Conference. Meanwhile, Keen’s overall hitting percentage of .333 places her fourth in the same conference.
As San Diego State looks ahead, they are set to begin their Mountain West conference play with two important road matches against Fresno State on September 25 and San José State on September 27. Both matches will be broadcast live on the MW Network, presenting an opportunity for Underwood, Keen, and the rest of the team to build on their recent successes and challenge for a strong performance in the conference.
The tradition of excellence in SDSU volleyball continues as Underwood and Keen lead the way, showcasing their talents on the court and helping to elevate the team’s competitiveness within the Mountain West Conference.
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Additional Resources
- Go Aztecs: Underwood & Keen Receive All-Tourney Recognition
- Wikipedia: Volleyball
- Yale Daily News: Volleyball – Yale to Take on Three San Diego Teams
- Google Search: Yale Volleyball
- USD Toreros: USD Volleyball Returns to San Diego
- Google Scholar: USD Toreros Volleyball
- Hawaii Athletics: Women’s Volleyball Falls to San Diego
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Hawaii Volleyball
- UCSD Tritons: Women’s Volleyball – Lumberjack Classic Up Next
- Google News: UCSD Tritons Volleyball
