Reno, Nev. - The University of Nevada(4-2) volleyball team had its four match win streak snapped falling in four games to Sacramento State(6-2) on Tuesday night at the Virginia Street Gym in Reno, Nev. The Hornets won by scores of 30-28, 26-30, 30-28, and 30-21 to improve to 6-2 on the season while the Wolf Pack dropped to 4-2.
Game one was tied six times with the last one coming at 28-28. Following a Sac State timeout the Hornets scored the next two points to take the game 30-28. Nevada hit .250 and Sac State .244 in the first game.
Nevada led game two 25-16 but Sac State game storming back to close within two points late at 28-26. Back to back points gave Nevada the game 30-26 and evened the match at one game apiece. The Wolf Pack hit .233 and held the Hornets to an .093 attack percentage.
The Hornets jumped out to a huge 10-point lead in game three only to see the Pack rally. Following the insertion of freshman setter Sonnie Sei into the lineup the Pack eventually tied the game at 27-27. Sac State outscored Nevada 3-1 down the stretch to take a 2-1 games lead. The Pack had their worst hitting percentage of the night at .020 while the Hornets were not much better at .095.
In the final game CSUS again took control and led by nine at 20-11 which proved to be the final margin of victory for the Hornets in game four. The Pack slightly improved their attack percentage to .116 while the Hornets had their best game of the night at .353.
Junior Teal Ericson led three Pack players in double figures with 18 kills. Carly Sorensen and Karly Sipherd finished with 17 and 15 kills respectively. Sorensen added 15 digs to post her third double-double of the season. The Pack’s starting setter Tristin Johnson finished with a match high 37 assists while Sei had 15. Libero Allison Hernandez tallied 18 digs and defensive specialist KatiJo Matthews 10.
Sac State also placed three players in double figures in kills led by Atlee Hubbard’s 15. Lindsay Haupt(13) and Shannon Roland(10) also reached double figures. Hubbard contributed 11 digs to post a double-double on the night. Setters Rose Burke and Melissa Melcher finished with 35 and 12 assists respectively. Libero Kristin Lutes totaled a match high 24 digs while Jennifer Ferguson finished with 10.
Sac State hit .188 compared to Nevada’s .155 attack percentage in the match. The Hornets won the blocking battle 17-9. Sipherd led Nevada with nine blocks and Michelle Franz had 12 for the Hornets.
Nevada returns to action on Friday competing in the LMU Four Points Sheraton LAX Classic in Los Angeles. The Pack take on former Western Athletic Conference member SMU on Friday at 4:30 p.m. Saturday Nevada squares off with UC Irvine at 10:00 a.m. and close out against the host Lions of Loyola Marymount at 7:30 p.m.
