PORTLAND, Ore. -- Four Hornets posted double figures in kills, and Sacramento State tallied a season-high 17.5 blocks, on the way to a 3-1 victory (19-25, 25-15, 25-22, 25-23) over Portland State on Thursday evening at Viking Pavilion.

Sacramento State remained the hottest team in the Big Sky Conference, increasing its winning streak to six games. That is the longest streak for the program since the 2017 team won seven in a row. During that six-game run, the Hornets have won four matches against the Big Sky's top three teams. That includes twice vs. Portland State, including a three-set sweep on Oct. 19 in the Nest. The Vikings have won 10 of their last 12 matches, and both losses during that stretch have come to the Hornets.

Sacramento State improved to 14-10 overall and 8-5 in league play. With three matches left in the regular season, the Hornets remain in a three-way tie for fourth place in the Big Sky standings with Montana State and Northern Arizona. Portland State, now 16-8 and 10-3 in conference, sits in second place, a game behind first-place Weber State.

The Hornets have just one more regular season match on the road as they continue their ascent up the Big Sky standings. The Hornets are two games out of third place. The top eight teams in the 11-member league secure a berth in the Big Sky Tournament (Nov. 18-20 in Ogden, Utah), and Sacramento State has already clinched a spot.

The Hornets won tonight's match with defense as the team had season highs in both blocks (17.5) and digs (81). That led to Portland State hitting just .075, easily the team's lowest mark against a Big Sky team all year. In fact, the Vikings did not hit anything better than .156 in any of the four sets. Sacramento State hit just .169, but had 13 more kills than PSU (54-41) and dominated defensively at the net. Five different Hornets had three blocks.

A growing theme over the last few weeks, Sacramento State closed sets in impressive fashion again tonight. That included a 3-0 run after the score had been tied at 22-22 in the third set, and a 9-5 run to close the fourth. Bridgette Smith, who leads the Big Sky in kills per set in league play, ended both frames with kills. That included an absolute hammer to end the match.

Four Hornets had double-doubles, including middle blocker Kalani Hayes' 10 kills and career-high tying 10 blocks. Outside hitter Macey Hayden had season highs in both kills (12) and digs (22), Smith posted 11 kills, 14 digs and three blocks, and setter Ashtin Olin finished with 29 assists and 11 digs. Rightside hitter Caitlin Volkmann posted 12 kills and a career-best seven blocks. Two of those blocks were solo stuffs. Libero Caty Cordano, fresh off a Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week award, notched 21 digs (one shy of her season high).

Tiyanane Kamba-Griffin added five kills and four blocks, Cianna Andrew four kills and four blocks (two solos), and setter McKenna Smith tallied 15 assists and eight digs.

Sacramento State will play its final road matchup on Saturday at Northern Arizona at 6 p.m. The Hornets conclude the regular season next week with home matches on Thursday vs. Montana, and Saturday against Montana State.