VOLLEYBALL LOSES TO IDAHO STATE AT HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SCHOOL HISTORY
11/7/2009
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Emily Waldron had a match-high 13 kills and Sarah Carson added 11 kills and five blocks to lead Idaho State to a three-set sweep of Sacramento State (26-24, 26-24, 25-21) in a Big Sky Conference volleyball match Saturday evening at Colberg Court.
In the Hornets’ biggest week of the season (for playoff purposes), Sacramento State lost both matches of a Big Sky homestand for the first time in school history, lost to Idaho State at home for the first time in school history, and lost to Weber State (yesterday) at home for just the second time in school history.
Sacramento State (15-13, 5-7) had entered the week in fifth place, just a half game behind fourth place Montana. The top four teams in the nine-member league reach the Big Sky Tournament, and the Hornets are in danger of not making the postseason event for the first time since joining the league in 1996 (a span of 13 straight appearances).
Montana remains in fourth place in the league standings with a 7-6 record while Sacramento State is now a game and a half back at 5-7. With just four matches remaining on the regular season schedule (one of which comes at Montana next week) and Montana already owning the tiebreaker between the two teams, Sacramento State is in serious jeopardy of its streak of conference postseason appearances coming to an end.
Idaho State improved to 11-14 overall and 5-8 in the conference with the win. The Bengals had been 0-13 against the Hornets in Sacramento, and had dropped 20 straight sets (spanning seven matches) at Colberg Court dating back to 2002.
“We got outplayed in our gym this week,” Sacramento State head coach Ruben Volta said. “We didn’t play hard enough and both Weber State and Idaho State played really well.”
The Hornets squandered leads of 8-1 in the first set and 24-22 in the second set to allow Idaho State to squeak out 26-24 wins in both frames. Sacramento State then jumped out to what seemed like a comfortable 17-12 lead in the third frame before the Bengals stormed back to win the set and match.
Idaho State outhit (.246-.154), outdug (72-62) and outblocked (7.0-5.0) Sacramento State. No Hornet had more than eight kills, and the Bengals took advantage of 10 Sacramento State service errors.
Waldron (13), Carson (11) and Haylee Thompson (9) combined for 33 of Idaho State’s 42 kills, and Waldron (15), Jenna Proost (14), Paige Palmer (13) and Jaclyn Hone (13) each had double figures in digs.
For Sacramento State, sophomore Kelsey Elston (eight kills, team-high four blocks) and freshman Janelle Currey (eight kills, 16 digs) led the team in kills while sophomore Anna Schoner was the only Hornet to hit for a high percentage (five kills, .714). Three Sacramento State players tallied double figures in digs, comprised of Breanne Menees (18), Currey (16) and Desiree Hoyum (12).
Sacramento State makes its final road trip of the regular season next week when the team travels to Montana (Friday, Nov. 13, 6 p.m. PDT) and Montana State (Saturday, Nov. 14, 6 p.m. PDT).
