VOLLEYBALL BOUNCES BACK WITH THREE-GAME SWEEP OF NORTHERN ARIZONA

10/27/2007

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Senior Lindsay Haupt tallied 13 kills, nine blocks and a .379 hitting percentage to lead Sacramento State to a three-game sweep (30-19, 30-24, 30-24) of Northern Arizona in a Big Sky Conference volleyball match Saturday evening at the Rolle Activity Center.

Two days after suffering one of its most disappointing losses in recent memory (a 3-2 setback at Northern Colorado), Sacramento State bounced back in impressive fashion, dismantling one of the Big Sky’s hottest teams in just one hour and 30 minutes. In fact, Northern Arizona’s largest lead of the night was two points (11-9) early in the third game.

With the victory, Sacramento State improved to 22-4 overall and 9-1 in the Big Sky. The Hornets, who had their 15-match winning streak snapped on Thursday at Northern Colorado, remain in first place in the league standings with six conference matches remaining on the schedule. Portland State remains in second place with a 10-2 league record after beating Montana (3-1) tonight.

Northern Arizona had won four of its last five Big Sky matches (three of which came via three-game sweeps) prior to tonight’s loss. The Lumberjacks dropped to 10-11 overall and 5-6 in the conference, and lost for just the third time at home all season. Sacramento State has now defeated Northern Arizona in each of the teams’ last eight meetings against one another, and improved to 25-6 all-time against NAU.

Of the Hornets’ nine conference victories this season, eight have now come in three-game sweeps. The Hornets are now 39-2 against Big Sky opposition dating back to Oct. 1, 2005.

Sacramento State’s defensive effort, which struggled two days ago, bounced back tonight as the team limited the Lumberjacks to just a .058 hitting percentage. The Hornets posted 10.0 team blocks, and limited NAU to just 33 kills (with 26 errors) in 121 attacks. In fact, Sacramento State had 20 more kills than Northern Arizona (53-33) despite the match lasting only three games.

Haupt posted double figures in kills for the 10th straight time while tallying 9.0 blocks for the second consecutive match. Her 13 kills came with just two errors in 29 attacks, and the middle hitter’s .379 hitting percentage was the second-best mark in the match by either team – trailing teammate Michelle Franz’s mark of .429.

Joining Haupt with double-figure kills for the Hornets were seniors Missie Stidham (14 kills, 14 digs) and Jennifer Ferguson (12 kills, 14 digs, .281 hitting percentage). Franz had seven kills with just one error in 14 attacks, and junior setter Rose Burke had four kills, 37 assists, seven digs and seven blocks. The seven blocks were just two off her career high. Freshman libero Chelsea Goodsell joined Stidham and Ferguson as the Hornet trio to each tally 14 digs.

Northern Arizona’s Kim Babcock, who is currently second in the nation in kills per game, was the only Lumberjack with more than six kills. She finished with a match-high 16 kills to go along with 17 digs and a .225 hitting percentage (16-7-40).

Sacramento State will now embark upon a season-long five-match homestand beginning next week with the team’s final non-conference contest of the regular season on Tuesday, Oct. 30, against Nevada at 7 p.m. The Hornets will then jump back into Big Sky play with home matches against Weber State (Friday, Nov. 2, 7 p.m.) and Idaho State (Saturday, Nov. 3, 7 p.m.).