FRESNO, Calif. -- Sacramento State earned its sixth straight win, and is off to its best start in school history after posting a 3-1 (25-20, 14-25, 25-22, 26-24) victory over Central Michigan in the first round of the Bulldog Volleyball Showdown Friday afternoon at the Save Mart Center.

The Hornets' 7-1 record is tied for the best start after eight matches in program history, as the 1980, 1981, 1983, 1989, 1990, 1995 and 2002 squads also began the year by winning seven of their first eight matches. This marks just the third time since joining the Div. I ranks in 1991 that the Hornets have been 7-1.

In addition, Ruben Volta earned his 100th career victory as Sacramento State's head coach. During his 15-plus seasons as a head or assistant coach at Sacramento State (2000-pres.), the Hornets have combined to post a 298-192 record.

Sacramento State, which was without the services of starting rightside hitter Shannon Boyle (back), was playing the first of four matches over a two-day span at the tournament. The Hornets will return to the court later tonight at 7 p.m. to take on UC Riverside, followed by matches tomorrow against host Fresno State and Cal State Fullerton.

The Hornets found themselves in a tight match with a Central Michigan squad (3-5) that had already defeated Cal State Fullerton earlier today. In fact, Sacramento State broke a 22-22 tie and ran off the final three points of the third set, and saved a set point before winning the fourth set. The third set ended with back-to-back kills by outside hitter Sloan Lovett followed by an ace from setter Kennedy Kurtz. In the fourth, with the team trailing, 23-24, the Hornets got kills from rightside hitter Morgan Stanley and Lovett followed by a Central Michigan attack error, respectively.

Stanley, who played on the right side for the injured Boyle, responded with 12 kills, two blocks and a team-high .290 hitting percentage. Lovett (15) and outside hitter Lauren Kissell (12) also reached double figures in kills for Sacramento State, which found a way to win despite hitting just .168 in the match.

In fact, the Chippewas hit for a much higher percentage (.296), and lost despite hitting better than .340 during each of the final three sets of the contest. Central Michigan also had more team blocks (16.0-10.0), but the Hornets found ways to win the big points and secure the victory.

Hornet junior Madeline Cannon had nine kills and tied her career high in blocks (nine), Lovett had a match-high four aces to go along with her 15 kills, and Kissell had four blocks. Libero Lexie Skalbeck finished with 22 digs, nine more than any other player from either team, and Kurtz had 40 assists, two aces and nine digs. True freshman Skyler Takeda finished with three digs, an ace, and served out six straight points in the third set to help bring the Hornets back from a 16-13 deficit.

For Central Michigan, Jordan Bueter, who crushed a ball out of bounds on match point, had 17 kills, eight digs and a .368 hitting percentage. She was joined in double-figure kills by Taylor Robertson (12) and Jessica Meichtry (11).

Every Hornet match of the tournament can be seen live and free by clicking here.