With the victory, Sacramento State (26-5, 13-1) is now just one win shy of clinching the Big Sky’s regular season championship and the right to host the postseason tournament Nov. 16-18. Portland State (12-2), which won at Northern Colorado tonight in five games, remains one game behind Sacramento State with two matches left as the regular season ends next week. Sacramento State owns the tiebreaker over Portland State if both teams finish the season with the same record.

Should Sacramento State win the Big Sky regular-season championship next week, it would mark the 10th straight season that the Hornets have won either the Big Sky’s regular season and/or tournament championship. Sacramento State joined the Big Sky ranks in 1996, and the team’s incredible run began one year later in 1997.

The Hornets have now won three in a row and 14 of the last 15, and improved to 13-1 on their home floor. In addition, Sacramento State moved to 137-27 all-time against Big Sky competition, and now has 55-straight victories in regular-season home matches against Big Sky opposition, a streak which dates back to 1999. Sacramento State’s winning percentage (26-5, .839) is currently the 20th best mark in the nation, and 16 of the team’s last 18 victories have come via three-game sweeps.

With the loss, Idaho State dropped to 9-20 overall and finishes the regular season with a 5-11 Big Sky record. The Bengals, who have lost eight of their last nine, currently hold the sixth and final playoff spot into the Big Sky Tournament. However, two teams currently below Idaho State in the standings (Northern Arizona and Weber State) could pass the Bengals depending on the outcomes of next week’s matches.

Sacramento State never trailed during the entire match, jumping out to a 14-2 lead in the first game, 7-3 in the second game, and 8-0 in the third frame. The nation’s second best blocking team and seventh best digging team, Sacramento State had 62 digs and 14.0 team blocks despite the match lasting just three games. Four Hornets had at least three blocks, comprised of Haupt, Hubbard (career-high six, including two solos), junior Michelle Franz (five) and senior Leah Klemenhagen (three).

Sacramento State limited the Bengals to a .049 hitting percentage, as Idaho State had nearly as many attack errors (23) as kills (29). Hubbard’s 15 kills accompanied a .323 hitting percentage (15-5-31), six digs and six blocks. No other player in the match had more than nine kills.

Hornet junior Jennifer Ferguson, senior Shannon Roland and Klemenhagen each finished the match with seven kills. Sophomore Rose Burke posted her 16th double-double of the season with 28 assists and 14 digs, and senior libero Kristin Lutes led all players with 19 digs.

Each of the Hornets’ four seniors (Hubbard, Klemenhagen, Lutes and Roland) were honored prior to the tonight’s match for their contributions to the program. All 13 of Sacramento State’s active players received playing time in the match.

Sacramento State returns to action next week for its final road trip of the regular season, when the team takes on both Northern Arizona (Thursday, Nov. 9, 6 p.m. PST) and Northern Colorado (Saturday, Nov. 11, 6 p.m. PDT).