Senior Alison Gahr |
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Junior Jayme Wright recorded a team-high 13 kills and senior Alison Gahr added 11 kills to pace the Sacramento State women’s volleyball team to a 3-0 (30-27, 30-22, 30-23) Big Sky Conference victory over Northern Arizona Saturday evening at Rolle Activity Center.The Hornets, who improved to 16-6 and 9-1 in the Big Sky, have now won eight-consecutive conference matches and 24-straight games during that stretch. The win marked the first time the Hornets have beaten Northern Arizona on the road in two years. With the loss, the Lumberjacks dropped to 12-6 and 6-4 in the conference.
Northern Arizona was 8-0 at home and had won 12-straight matches over the last two years prior to tonight''s loss.
Sacramento State’s victory also strengthened its lead atop the Big Sky standings as it now sits two games ahead of second-place Eastern Washington (7-3), two-and-a half games ahead of Weber State (7-4) and three games ahead of Northern Arizona (6-4) with just four matches to play. The winner of the conference hosts the Big Sky Tournament on Nov. 15-17. The Hornets, who host Eastern Washington on Nov. 9, are looking to host the tourney for the fifth-consecutive year.
Wright’s 13 kills accompanied a .375 hitting percentage (13-4-24) as the outside hitter has now led the Hornets in kills in four of the last six matches. Gahr missed her first career triple-double by just one assist as the outside hitter tallied 16 digs, nine assists and a .364 (11-3-22) hitting percentage to go along with her 11 kills. Sophomore setter Lisa Beauchene led the team in digs (18) while also recording 35 assists and seven kills.
Senior Tasman Dwyer finished with seven kills and a team-high four blocks, but her .227 hitting percentage snapped a streak of six-straight matches in which the middle hitter had hit at least .300.
The Hornets hit .221 for the match while limiting the Lumberjacks to just a .148 mark. The Hornets also held the advantage in kills (52-44), assists (50-42) and digs (64-58).
Northern Arizona was led by Chelsea Robb’s 13 kills and 10 digs while Maggie Barrera added 12 kills.
Sacramento State, which has just four matches left on its regular season schedule, hits the road for three matches next week at fourth-ranked Stanford (Tuesday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m.), at Montana (Friday, Nov. 2, 6:30 p.m.) and at Montana State (Saturday, Nov. 3, 6 p.m.).
