SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Sacramento State dropped a pair of matches on the first day of the Big West Conference Beach Volleyball Tournament. The Hornets fell in the opener to 11th-ranked Long Beach State, 5-0, before losing to CSUN in the second round by a 4-1 score.
With the losses, the Hornets season comes to an end. As has been the case the majority of the season, Sacramento State had to forfeit a doubles match in both contests today, as the team did not have enough healthy bodies in attendance to field five doubles squads. Sacramento State forfeited the No. 4 doubles match in each.
In both contests, the Hornets used Bridgette Smith/Caitlin Volkmann at No. 1, Kalani Hayes/Macey Hayden at No. 2, McKenna Smith/Karlee Soderberg at No. 3, and Tiyanane Kamba-Griffin/Ellie Tisko at No. 5. Ashtin Olin was unavailable to play today, a tough blow for the Hornets as the tandem of M. Smith/Olin have a record of 10-3 this season.
While each of the doubles matches vs. nationally ranked Long Beach State (20-12) concluded in straight sets, the matchup vs. CSUN (17-16) was much closer.
In fact, two of those matches went to three sets. That included the tandem of Volkmann/B. Smith winning at No. 1 by a 21-17, 18-21, 15-10 score. At No. 5, Kamba-Griffin/Tisko narrowly fell by a 21-16, 20-22, 15-11 score. At No. 2, Hayes/Hayden lost in two tight sets, 21-19, 21-18.
The victory for B. Smith/Volkmann was their team-high tying 10th of the season.
Today marked the final beach matches in the careers of Hayden and McKenna Smith. The youngest sport on campus, Sacramento State was playing its 10th season of beach volleyball this year.
