BOISE, Idaho -- Boise State had five players post at least seven kills, and hit .391 as a team on the way to a three-set sweep (25-11, 25-17, 25-16) of Sacramento State in the third and final round of the Marriott Courtyard Bronco Volleyball Classic on Saturday afternoon.
The loss dropped the Hornets to 5-6 overall this season, and the team finished the tournament with an 0-3 record. Sacramento State lost to both North Texas and Idaho in the first and second rounds yesterday.
The Hornets played the entire tournament without arguably their best player in team co-captain and rightside hitter Kayla Beal (back injury). The loss loomed large as Beal, who is a six-rotation rightside hitter, had been the team's best passer and blocker all season as well as the second best attacker. There is no time table for Beal's return as the fourth-year senior is out indefinitely with the injury.
Amazingly, Sacramento State combined for just 8.0 team blocks during the entire tournament. The team averaged 10.40 kills per set while hitting .143 over the three matches. Conversely, the Hornets' three opponents combined to hit .305 with 14.50 kills per set.
All five Boise State players that finished with at least seven kills also hit .400 or better, including Brittany Reardon who finished with seven kills and a .667 hitting percentage. With the Hornets accumulating just 1.0 team block during the match, the Broncos had little trouble with their attack, hitting .269, .345 and .531, respectively, in the three sets.
Boise State had 22 more kills (46-24), 12 more digs (39-27) and five more team blocks (6.0-1.0) while limiting the Hornets to a .094 hitting percentage. Sacramento State's largest lead of the match came at 5-2 early in the third set.
For the Hornets, sophomore Lauren Aikels posted team highs in kills (11) and hitting percentage (.269). Sophomore Sloan Lovett added seven kills, and senior libero Katie Aprile finished with a team-best 11 digs. Hannah Hettinga, Katelyn Ivy, Lovett and Aprile each had an ace.
Today marked the final non-conference tuneup of the season as Sacramento State opens Big Sky Conference play on the road next week. The Hornets will play at Eastern Washington on Thursday at 6 p.m., followed by Portland State on Saturday at 7 p.m.

April 8, 2014
VOLLEYBALL RELEASES ITS 2014 SCHEDULE

January 27, 2014
SACRAMENTO STATE EARNS 22 FALL BIG SKY ALL-ACADEMIC HONORS

January 24, 2014
VOLLEYBALL ADDS DIV. I TRANSFER AND LOCAL PRODUCT MADELINE CANNON

November 30, 2013
VOLLEYBALL'S HOME WINNING STREAK NAMED BIG SKY'S 16TH GREATEST MOMENT

November 28, 2013
VOLLEYBALL’S BEAL NAMED SECOND TEAM ALL-BIG SKY

November 23, 2013
VOLLEYBALL LOSES IN FIVE, ELIMINATED FROM BIG SKY TOURNAMENT CONTENTION

November 21, 2013
VOLLEYBALL ONE STEP CLOSER TO PLAYOFF SPOT AFTER WIN AT MONTANA STATE

November 20, 2013
VOLLEYBALL LOOKS TO GRAB PLAYOFF SPOT IN FINAL WEEK OF REGULAR SEASON

November 18, 2013
VOLLEYBALL SIGNS BOYLE, BROWN AND KURTZ TO LETTERS OF INTENT

November 16, 2013
VOLLEYBALL PICKS UP HUGE WIN, CRUSHES WEBER STATE

November 15, 2013
VOLLEYBALL FALLS TO IDAHO STATE, WILL PLAY HOME FINALE TOMORROW

November 14, 2013
FORMER HORNET LINDSAY HAUPT NAMED THE BIG SKY'S 19TH BEST FEMALE ATHLETE

November 14, 2013
FINAL HOMESTAND FOR VOLLEYBALL WITH POSTSEASON IMPLICATIONS ON TAP

November 11, 2013
VOLLEYBALL FALLS AT NORTHERN COLORADO, STILL CLINGS TO A PLAYOFF SPOT

November 9, 2013
VOLLEYBALL FALLS IN THREE AT NORTH DAKOTA

October 31, 2013
WINNING STREAK AT FOUR AS VOLLEYBALL BEATS SOUTHERN UTAH

October 30, 2013
VOLLEYBALL LOOKS TO INCREASE WINNING STREAK THIS WEEK ON THE ROAD

October 26, 2013
HOME COURT KIND AGAIN AS VOLLEYBALL BEATS EASTERN WASHINGTON

October 25, 2013
VOLLEYBALL SECURES HUGE HOME VICTORY OVER PORTLAND STATE

October 23, 2013
VOLLEYBALL HOSTS A PAIR OF LEAGUE MATCHES THIS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

October 19, 2013
VOLLEYBALL HITS SEASON-HIGH .398 IN FOUR-SET WIN OVER MONTANA STATE

October 18, 2013
VOLLEYBALL FALLS AT HOME TO MONTANA

October 12, 2013
VOLLEYBALL NOW 4-4 IN CONFERENCE PLAY AFTER LOSS AT IDAHO STATE

October 11, 2013
VOLLEYBALL PICKS UP FIVE-SET ROAD WIN AT WEBER STATE

October 9, 2013
VOLLEYBALL TRAVELS TO MATCHUPS AT WEBER STATE AND IDAHO STATE

October 3, 2013
VOLLEYBALL WINS FIVE-SET NAIL BITER OVER NORTHERN COLORADO

October 2, 2013
VOLLEYBALL LOOKS TO EXTEND WINNING STREAK THIS WEEK AT HOME

September 28, 2013
VOLLEYBALL DOMINATES SOUTHERN UTAH IN THREE QUICK SETS

September 27, 2013
VOLLEYBALL HITS FOR HIGH PERCENTAGE, DEFEATS NORTHERN ARIZONA

September 26, 2013
VOLLEYBALL BEGINS HOMESTAND WITH MATCHES FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT

September 21, 2013
VOLLEYBALL DROPS BIG SKY MATCHUP AT PORTLAND STATE

September 19, 2013
VOLLEYBALL LOSES FIVE-SET HEARTBREAKER TO EWU IN BIG SKY OPENER

September 18, 2013
VOLLEYBALL OPENS BIG SKY PLAY THURSDAY AT EASTERN WASHINGTON

September 14, 2013
VOLLEYBALL CONCLUDES TOURNAMENT WITH LOSS TO BOISE STATE

September 13, 2013
LOVETT’S 14 KILLS NOT ENOUGH IN VOLLEYBALL’S LOSS TO IDAHO

September 13, 2013
VOLLEYBALL OPENS TOURNAMENT WITH LOSS TO NORTH TEXAS

September 10, 2013
VOLLEYBALL TRAVELS TO UC DAVIS TONIGHT, BOISE STATE LATER THIS WEEK

September 10, 2013
VOLLEYBALL FALLS AT UC DAVIS

September 6, 2013
VOLLEYBALL STUMBLES AT HOME AGAINST SAN JOSE STATE

September 4, 2013
VOLLEYBALL HOSTS 11TH-ANNUAL SACRAMENTO STATE INVITATIONAL

September 2, 2013
LOVETT CAPS BIG WEEK WITH BIG SKY VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS

September 1, 2013
LOVETT WITH A HUGE DAY, VOLLEYBALL NOW 3-0 AFTER WIN OVER LA SALLE


August 28, 2013
VOLLEYBALL BEGINS 2013 SEASON ON SATURDAY IN PHILADELPHIA

August 23, 2013
VOLLEYBALL HOSTS ALUMNI MATCH THIS SATURDAY

August 22, 2013
2013 VOLLEYBALL SEASON OUTLOOK