BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Sacramento State finished with a season-low 3.0 team blocks, and Pacific had 15 more kills, as the Tigers swept Sacramento State (25-23, 25-20, 25-22) on Saturday morning at the Icardo Center.
The match was Sacramento State's finale of the Central California Classic as the Hornets (4-8 overall) finished the two-day tournament with a 1-2 record. That included a pair of five-set outcomes yesterday - a loss to Fresno State, and win over tourney host CSU Bakersfield.
Today's match marked just the second time all season Sacramento State has been swept. The Hornets will now turn their attention to the Big Sky Conference portion of the schedule which begins on Thursday at Idaho. That contest will also bring an end to the team's season-long eight-game stretch away from home.
The Hornets had their chances in today's match, as Sacramento State held a 23-22 lead in the first set, and trailed just, 21-20, in the third frame. All three sets finished close.
Pacific held large advantages over the Hornets in kills (47-32), assists (44-32) and aces (10-5). Both teams had 3.0 team blocks. The Tigers hit better than .300 in each of the first two sets, something the Hornet defense has not allowed very often this season. In fact, Pacific's .269 hitting percentage for the match was the second highest output Sacramento State has allowed this year.
The Hornets had just one player with more than six kills, and that was freshman
Greta Davis who finished with 10 kills and a .333 hitting percentage. Only one Sacramento State player had more than one block, and that was two from
Tiyanane Kamba-Griffin. She also had four kills and a .400 hitting percentage. Setter
Ashtin Olin had two kills in two attempts, 22 assists and four digs.
Both
Bridgette Smith and
Caitlin Volkmann had six kills, and Smith added nine digs.
Caty Cordano led the Hornets with 11 digs, and middle
Kalani Hayes posted three kills and a block. Five different Hornets had one ace, comprised of Volkmann, Smith, Olin,
Mia Guevara and
Carrie Crom.
Hayes was named to the all-tournament team after finishing with averages of 2.15 kills and 0.69 blocks per set to go along with a .468 hitting percentage.
The Hornets begin the 16-game Big Sky schedule next week with a Thursday road matchup at Idaho (6 p.m.), followed by a Saturday home game vs. Idaho State (7 p.m.). Sacramento State has not played inside the Nest since Sept. 3.
