Big Sky Conference standings
CEDAR CITY, Utah — Sacramento State used a pair of comebacks in the first and second sets, and cruised in the third on the way to a three-set road sweep of Southern Utah (25-23, 25-20, 25-12) on Saturday afternoon at the America First Events Center.
With the victory, Sacramento State improved to 14-12 overall and 9-3 in the Big Sky Conference. With six matches left on the regular season schedule, the Hornets remain in at least a tie for second place in the league standings with other conference matchups still to be played this evening. Idaho, which sits in first with a 9-2 record, hosts Weber State tonight.
Sacramento State has now won six of its last seven, and nine of its last 11 matches. The Hornets also swept the season series against Southern Utah (3-21, 2-10), which includes a four-set win in Sacramento earlier this year. Sacramento State had its five-match winning streak snapped on Thursday at Northern Arizona. The Lumberjacks remain in a tie for second place with the Hornets after their home win today against Portland State.
The Hornets have now won five straight over Southern Utah. They also own a 10-4 advantage in the all-time series which begin in 2012 when the Thunderbirds joined the Big Sky.
Sacramento State used sizable comebacks in both the first and second sets. Trailing, 20-13, in the first frame, the Hornets closed on a 12-3 run, which included a Mikaela Nocetti kill at set point. In the second, Southern Utah had a 16-11 lead before Sacramento State closed on a 14-4 run. In the third, it was all Hornets, jumping out to a 10-4 lead and cruising form there.
After hitting just .205 in the first set, Sacramento State hit .297 in the second, and .400 in the third. The Hornets finished with a .283 hitting percentage while the Thunderbirds hit just .165. Sacramento State had 38 kills with just eight errors in 106 attacks. The Hornets' eight errors are the lowest total of the season. Sacramento State also had nine team blocks despite the match lasting just three sets, including a game-best seven from middle blocker Lana Brown.
Setter Ashtin Olin had a well rounded match, finishing with six kills, an .857 hitting percentage, 29 assists, two aces, nine digs and four blocks. Also hitting at least .500 were middle blocker Brie Gathright who had five kills, five digs and a .625 hitting percentage, and rightside hitter Cianna Andrews who posted nine kills, a pair of blocks and a .500 hitting percentage.
Outside hitter Mikaela Nocetti led the Hornets with 10 kills while also tacking on nine digs, and fellow outside hitter Sarah Davis had six kills and 10 digs. Libero Paige Swiney had 18 of Sacramento State's 59 digs while Skyler Takeda had eight digs.
Sacramento State plays again next week when its hosts Eastern Washington on Thursday and Idaho on Saturday. Both matchups will begin at 7 p.m.


November 17, 2018
VOLLEYBALL’S MATCH AGAINST NORTHERN COLORADO IS CANCELED

November 13, 2018
VOLLEYBALL MOVES TO 11-6 IN LEAGUE AFTER ROAD WIN AT PORTLAND STATE

November 10, 2018
VOLLEYBALL FALLS IN FOUR SETS AT IDAHO STATE

November 8, 2018
VOLLEYBALL DROPS 3-1 ROAD DECISION AT WEBER STATE


October 27, 2018
VOLLEYBALL SPLITS ROAD TRIP AFTER THREE-SET SWEEP AT SOUTHERN UTAH

October 25, 2018
WINNING STREAK COMES TO AN END, VOLLEYBALL FALLS AT NORTHERN ARIZONA

October 23, 2018
FIRST-PLACE VOLLEYBALL ON THE ROAD FOR A PAIR THIS WEEK

October 22, 2018
TWO STRAIGHT WEEKS! NOCETTI NAMED BIG SKY PLAYER OF THE WEEK AGAIN

October 20, 2018
VOLLEYBALL WINS FIFTH STRAIGHT, REMAINS IN TIE FOR FIRST PLACE

October 15, 2018
NOCETTI NAMED BIG SKY VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

October 13, 2018
VOLLEYBALL MOVES INTO FIRST PLACE AFTER SWEEP OF WEBER STATE

October 11, 2018
VOLLEYBALL CONTINUES TO ROLL, SWEEPS IDAHO STATE AT HOME

October 6, 2018
VOLLEYBALL WINS AT EASTERN WASHINGTON, NOW 4-2 IN BIG SKY PLAY

October 4, 2018
VOLLEYBALL’S WINNING STREAK SNAPPED IN 3-1 LOSS AT IDAHO

October 1, 2018
OLIN NAMED BIG SKY OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

September 29, 2018
VOLLEYBALL WINS THIRD STRAIGHT, BEATS NORTHERN ARIZONA IN FIVE SETS

September 27, 2018
VOLLEYBALL’S MATCH TONIGHT VS SOUTHERN UTAH PUSHED BACK TO A 8:00 PM START

September 27, 2018
VOLLEYBALL BEATS SOUTHERN UTAH, WINS 1,000TH MATCH IN PROGRAM HISTORY

September 26, 2018
VOLLEYBALL HOSTS A PAIR OF MATCHES; SEEKS 1,000TH WIN IN PROGRAM HISTORY

September 22, 2018
VOLLEYBALL WINS AT MONTANA STATE; NOCETTI SECURES 1,000TH CAREER KILL

September 18, 2018
VOLLEYBALL OPENS BIG SKY CONFERENCE PLAY THIS WEEK AT THE MONTANA SCHOOLS


September 14, 2018
INJURY RAVAGED VOLLEYBALL PLAYS TOUGH, BUT FALLS TO PORTLAND

September 14, 2018
VOLLEYBALL FALLS TO 13TH-RANKED WASHINGTON

September 10, 2018
SWINNEY NAMED BIG SKY DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK


September 6, 2018
VOLLEYBALL HOSTS THE 4-TEAM SACRAMENTO STATE INVITE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

September 4, 2018
VOLLEYBALL COMES UP JUST SHORT IN 3-1 HOME LOSS TO UC DAVIS


August 28, 2018
VOLLEYBALL FALLS ON THE ROAD TO SANTA CLARA


August 25, 2018
VOLLEYBALL FALLS IN FOUR SETS TO ARIZONA

August 24, 2018
VOLLEYBALL OPENS SEASON WITH 3-1 VICTORY OVER UTAH STATE

August 8, 2018
VOLLEYBALL SELECTED THIRD IN BIG SKY PRESEASON COACHES POLL