With the victory, Sacramento State has now won a season-high nine straight (and 15 of the last 16) while improving to 21-4 overall. Tonight’s contest marked the final regular season non-conference match of the season for the Hornets as the team still has eight conference contests remaining until Big Sky Tournament play begins on Nov. 16.

Owners of the 20th best winning percentage in the nation (.840), Sacramento State posted its 17th three-game sweep of the season with tonight’s victory. In addition, 12 of the Hornets’ last 13 victories have come via sweeps. Sacramento State’s 21-4 record is the team’s best mark since the 1995 squad was 22-3. Currently receiving votes in the CSTV/AVCA top 25 poll for the fourth consecutive week, the team’s nine-match winning streak is the second best run in the last seven years (last season’s team won 16 in a row).

The longest standing rivalry against any team in Sacramento State’s volleyball history, the Hornets continued their dominance in the series with UC Davis, improving to 47-16 all-time against the Aggies. Sacramento State has now won 11 in a row over UC Davis, a streak which dates back to the 1992 season.

Entering the match ranked seventh in the nation in digs per game, the Hornets pumped their season average even more with 75 digs against the Aggies. Lutes tallied 29 of those digs as the libero is currently ranked eighth in the nation in digs per game. Joining Lutes with double-figure digs for the Hornets were Hubbard (11), senior Jennifer Ferguson (14) and freshman Melissa Melcher (10).

Sacramento State was aided by 15 service errors from UC Davis, including six in the first game and five in the second frame. The Hornets also limited UC Davis to a .187 hitting percentage as Chantal Paschetta (18 kills, .275 hitting percentage) and Nicole Read (10 kills, .206 hitting percentage) were the only Aggies with more than one kill to hit above .200 in the match.

With 17 kills and 11 digs, Hubbard recorded her fifth double-double in the last six matches. Sacramento State junior middle hitters Michelle Franz and Lindsay Haupt caused havoc again as Franz finished with eight kills, a .412 hitting percentage and three blocks, and Haupt finished with nine kills, a .389 hitting percentage and four blocks. Franz has now hit above .300 in 10 consecutive matches while Haupt has accomplished the feat in eight straight contests.

UC Davis kept things close in all three games, trailing 25-23, and 27-25 late in games one and two, respectively. In the third frame, the Aggies led 25-23 before the Hornets finished the game on a 7-2 run. Late kills from Hubbard, including hammers on game point in all three frames, ended things in the Hornets’ favor.

Sacramento State jumps back into conference play this Thursday, Oct. 19, when the team hosts Montana State at 7 p.m. The Hornets will also host Weber State on Saturday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. Sacramento State is 8-0 in league play for the first time since joining the Big Sky in 1996, and seven of those eight victories have come via three-game sweeps.