ROCHESTER, Mich. -- Middle blocker
Ashlynn Archer had a career day, and the Hornets never trailed in the fifth set on the way to a 3-2 victory (19-25, 25-18, 25-18, 23-25, 15-10) over Akron on Saturday morning.
The Hornets (6-4 overall) were playing their fourth and final match over a three-day stretch at a tournament co-hosted by Michigan and Oakland. Sacramento State made its first trip to Michigan in program history and came away with wins over Saint Francis (3-0), Oakland (3-0) and Akron (3-2). The only loss came to Michigan (3-0) who is currently 8-0 this season.
Archer had an incredible match as the junior finished with a career-high tying 12 kills and career-best .800 hitting percentage. She had zero errors in 15 swings, and the hitting percentage tied for the ninth best single-match mark in the Hornets' Div. I era (1991-pres.). She had four kills in four swings in the fourth set, and crushed a ball for a kill to give the Hornets a 4-1 lead in the fifth set.
Archer and teammate
Bridgette Smith were both named all-tournament. Archer finished the tourney with averages of 1.57 kills and 0.79 blocks per set while hitting .436. Smith posted averages of 3.29 kills, 0.64 aces, 2.43 digs and 0.36 blocks per set. She had nine aces, which were three more than any other Hornet.
In today's fifth set, Sacramento State jumped out to a 3-0 lead and never trailed the entire way. The Hornets had seven kills in the frame, including three each from Smith and
Caitlin Volkmann. Both players also had an ace.
Speaking of Volkmann, the senior outside hitter continued to shine, finishing with a match-best 17 kills to go with 10 digs. Her 17 kills were five more than any other player in the match, and she registered her fourth double-double of the season. The duo of Smith and Volkmann has been lethal all season, as Smith finished with 12 kills, three aces, and 11 digs, recording her third double-double. Smith and Volkmann currently rank second and third, respectively, in the Big Sky in kills per set.
The Hornets did a nice job on the service line, recording a season-best 14 aces. That included a career-best four from
Ellie Tisko, three apiece from Smith and
Reese Ampi, and two from
Kate Doorn. Volkmann and Archer also added an ace.
Setters
Kate Doorn (23 ast, 6 digs) and
Hailey Plugge (15 ast, 4 digs) combined for 38 assists and 10 digs. Liberos
Reese Ampi and
Abbey Kadillak both had six digs.
Karlie Spohn posted three kills, four digs and two blocks, and
Greta Davis had a pair of kills.
The Hornets, in the midst of a season-long stretch of eight matches away from home, will play in Fresno next weekend. That includes matches three consecutive days against CSU Bakersfield on Friday (3 p.m.), Fresno State on Saturday (6 p.m.), and Pacific on Sunday (noon).
