GREELEY, Colo. -- Bridgette Smith had 19 kills, the Hornets hit .378, and dealt Northern Colorado its first loss since September, as the Hornets swept the Bears on the road Thursday evening at Bank of Colorado Arena. Set scores were 25-20, 25-23, 28-26.

Smith could not be stopped, compiling 19 kills (6.3 per set) despite the match lasting just three sets. She hit .459 (19-2-37), posted eight digs, and had huge kills at 26-25 and 27-26 of the third set. Her swing at 25-25 came from the back row and ended a long rally, and her swing at 27-26 went off a Bear blocker out of bounds to deliver the Hornets a huge victory.

The Hornets (15-9, 8-3) beat a Northern Colorado team (18-6, 9-2) that was in first place in the Big Sky Conference standings and had won eight straight matches. Sacramento State is now one game out of first place in the conference standings with five matches left in the regular season.

Tonight was also a great way to start a four-match road trip against a Bears squad that had been 8-1 at home. In addition, the win avenged a five-set home loss (17-15 in the fifth) to Northern Colorado on Oct. 12 in which a highly controversial call stole what would have been a 15-13 fifth set win for the Hornets.

Sacramento State has now swept Northern Colorado in Greeley two straight years after the Hornets had previously dropped four straight on the Bears' home floor.

At 24-23 of the second set, the Hornets got a huge kill from Caitlin Volkmann to take a 2-0 lead. Sacramento State saved set points in the third frame at 23-24 and 24-25, before pulling out the victory. Volkmann finished with 14 kills, and it was her jump serve on match point that forced a Northern Colorado over pass and the eventual Smith kill.

Sacramento State hit better than .310 in all three sets, and saw its middle hitters both hit for high percentages. That includes freshman Skyler Gartin, who in her first collegiate start, finished with seven kills and a .700 hitting percentage (7-0-10). Gartin was inserted into the starting lineup for Karlie Spohn who missed the match with injury. Fellow middle Ashlynn Archer finished with five kills (5-0-7) and a .714 hitting percentage. Both middles had a pair of blocks.

Ellie Tisko had six kills and a .333 hitting percentage, libero Reese Ampi seven digs and three aces, and setters Kate Doorn (25 ast, 6 digs) and Hailey Plugge (15 ast, 3 digs) combined for 40 assists. Greta Davis added a pair of kills and digs.

The Hornets conclude the week on Saturday with a matchup at Northern Arizona in Flagstaff. First serve is 11 a.m. PT.