VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS UAB TO WIN THE BAMA BASH CHAMPIONSHIP
9/1/2007
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Sacramento State senior middle hitter Lindsay Haupt finished with 12 kills, 10 blocks and a .478 hitting percentage to lead the Hornets to a three-game sweep (30-18, 30-24, 30-23) of UAB in the third and final round of the Bama Bash Volleyball Tournament Saturday morning at the CAVE.
With the victory, Sacramento State completes the two-day Bama Bash with a perfect 3-0 record and the tournament championship. The Hornets (6-2 overall) defeated both Illinois State and host Alabama yesterday by 3-1 scores.
With today’s win, the Hornets completed their longest road trip of the season (eight matches over nine days) with a 6-2 record. The team could have just as easily been 8-0 on the trip, but lost tight matches by scores of 3-2 against Ole Miss and Missouri State (both NCAA Tournament teams last year). Both Alabama and UAB (formerly Alabama-Birmingham) were NCAA Tournament teams as well.
Senior Missie Stidham was named the tournament MVP after after leading the Hornets in kills in every match and completing the tourney with averages of 5.91 kills and 4.82 digs per game to go along with a .336 hitting percentage (65-18-140). The outside hitter from Fresno, Calif., tallied 15 kills today after combining for 50 kills in yesterday’s wins over Illinois State and Alabama.
Joining Stidham on the all-tournament team for Sacramento State were Haupt and senior outside hitter Jennifer Ferguson. Haupt averaged 3.27 kills and 1.45 blocks per game to go along with a .378 hitting percentage during the tournament, and Ferguson averaged 4.27 kills and 5.09 digs per game during the three matches.
Today’s double-double for Haupt was her first of the season as the senior had 10 blocks (two solos) despite the match lasting just three games. Overall this season, she is now hitting a team-best .345. Ferguson added 14 kills, nine digs and three blocks. Junior setter Rose Burke had 42 assists and four blocks for a Sacramento State team which finished with 11.0 team blocks.
Sacramento State had just 16 attack errors and hit .284 (49-16-116), the team’s second best mark of the season. Conversely, UAB hit just .134, marking the eighth consecutive Sacramento State opponent that has been limited to a hitting percentage below .205. Four Hornets hit better than .300, comprised of Haupt, Ferguson (.333), Desiree Hoyum (four kills, .333) and Michelle Franz (three kills, .375).
The Hornets finally return home next week when they host the fifth annual Sacramento State Invitational next Friday-Saturday, Sept. 7-8. The Hornets will face Oregon State on Friday at 7:30 p.m., and both Manhattan (12:30 p.m.) and Cal State Northridge (7:30 p.m.) on Saturday. For more information on the tournament, click here.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Sacramento State senior middle hitter 
