VOLLEYBALL KEEPS IT CLOSE LATE BEFORE FALLING TO SANTA CLARA

9/16/2008

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Brittany Lowe (12), Anna Cmaylo (12) and Tanya Schmidt (10) each posted double figures in kills to lead Santa Clara to a three-set sweep of Sacramento State (25-16, 25-20, 26-24) in a non-conference volleyball match Tuesday evening at the Leavey Center.

Cmaylo had three kills and a block during the later stages of the third set to help Santa Clara overcome a 21-19 deficit, and Lowe’s kill at 25-24 in the third set gave the Broncos the match. Santa Clara hit .353 as a team, including a match-best .615 percentage from Schmidt. Conversely, the Hornets hit .153, but the team increased its hitting percentage each set from .000 in the first, to .122 in the second and .345 in the third set.

With the loss, Sacramento State dropped to 2-9 overall, the team’s worst record after 11 matches since the 1977 team was also 2-9. The Hornets have dropped seven straight, matching the team’s longest losing streak in school history – the 1991 squad also dropped seven in a row. With the victory, Santa Clara, which is receiving votes in the AVCA Top 25 poll, improved to 7-2 this season, and 16-11 all-time against Sacramento State. Tonight’s match marked Santa Clara’s home opener.

The Hornets are fresh off a 2007 season in which the team went 29-8 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. However, the team lost seven players from last year’s squad, including both starting outside hitters, both starting middle hitters and the libero. Among those players were five seniors that combined to make up arguably the best senior class in school history.

Eight different Sacramento State players had kills in the match, led by senior Desiree Hoyum’s eight. Senior Brittany Ferguson added seven kills, sophomore Maddison Thivierge had six kills and two aces, and sophomore Whitney Mendivil added four kills and a .375 hitting percentage. Freshman Breanne Menees led the team with 10 digs, senior setter Rose Burke finished with 28 assists, eight digs and two blocks, and senior Katie Van Der Wende tallied eight digs.

After missing each of the last five matches with an abdominal strain, freshman Cayti Crowton returned tonight to play in two sets, finishing with a pair of kills in three attempts. Freshman Shannon Wilson missed her fourth consecutive match with a foot injury.

Sacramento State returns to action later this week when the team plays at the Aggie Invite on Sept. 19-20 in Davis, Calif. The Hornets will face Fordham on Friday and 5 p.m., and both Cal State Bakersfield (10 a.m.) and tournament host UC Davis (7 p.m.) on Saturday. Sacramento State is 48-16 against its Causeway rival UC Davis, and has won each of the last 12 meetings between the two teams.