SACRAMENTO -- Sacramento State had 44 kills with a .330 hitting percentage, while limiting Cal State Fullerton to 19 kills and a .011 hitting percentage, on the way to a three-set sweep of the Titans (25-9, 25-10, 25-20) on Friday afternoon at the Nest.
The match was the first of three Sacramento State will play at the Hornet Invitational. That includes a matchup against San Jose State tonight at 7 p.m.
The Hornets, who improved to 3-1 this season, were playing the fourth leg of a seven-match homestand to begin 2023.
This afternoon, Sacramento State had little trouble against Cal State Fullerton (0-4) as the Hornets dominated from start to finish. In fact, the Titans' 39 combined points are the third lowest allowed by Sacramento State in the Div. I era (1991-pres.). The Hornets allowed 25 points to Arkansas Pine Bluff in 2017, and 34 points to Montana State in 2015.
Sacramento State finished with 25 more kills than the Titans, and Cal State Fullerton hit for negative percentages in each of the first two sets. In fact, through two sets, Fullerton had just eight kills with 13 errors. The Hornets finished with 44 kills and just 12 digs in 97 attacks, and the .330 hitting percentage is a season best. No Titan had more than six kills.
The Hornets also had 10 aces, including three apiece from
Caty Cordano and
Tiyanane Kamba-Griffin. Outside hitter
Ellie Tisko had a huge game, finishing with a match-high 15 kills and .619 hitting percentage. She needed just 21 swings to accumulate 15 kills.
Rightside hitter
Caitlin Volkmann was very good, posting eight kills, three blocks and a .471 hitting percentage. Outside hitter
Bridgette Smith, after missing last week with injury, made her debut this afternoon with 11 kills, five digs, an ace and a block. In addition, rightside hitter
Karlee Soderberg, who also missed all of last week, made her debut with four kills and a .429 hitting percentage.
Cordano led all players with 12 digs, middle blocker
Kalani Hayes had two kills and a match-best four blocks, and fellow middle
Tiyanane Kamba-Griffin had three aces. Setters
Hailey Plugge (18 ast, 5 digs) and
Kate Doorn (13 ast, 3 digs) combined for 31 assists and eight digs.
After tonight's matchup with San Jose State, the Hornets conclude the tournament tomorrow vs. Portland at 12:30 p.m.
