VOLLEYBALL FALLS TO UC DAVIS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 16 YEARS

9/20/2008

DAVIS, Calif. -- After losing the first set, UC Davis limited Sacramento State to a .138 hitting percentage over the final three sets to defeat the Hornets, 3-1 (18-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-20) in the third and final round of the Aggie Volleyball Invite Saturday evening at The Pavilion.

Prior to the loss, Sacramento State had won 12 straight meetings between the two teams dating back to 1992. In fact, the Hornets had dropped just one set over that 12-match span, outscoring UC Davis in sets by the score of 36-1. Sacramento State still holds a commanding 48-17 advantage in the all-time rivalry between the two schools, but the loss has now dropped the Hornets’ record this season to 2-12 overall, and the team has lost 10 matches in a row.

With the victory, UC Davis improved to 8-5 overall and 2-1 at the tournament. Playing with a roster that includes nine underclassmen (including six freshmen), Sacramento State finished the tournament with an 0-3 record, including a 3-2 loss to Cal State Bakersfield earlier today and 3-0 loss to Fordham last night.

The turning point in tonight’s match came in the third set. With the score tied at 1-1, and Sacramento State leading, 22-20, in the third frame, UC Davis closed the set on a 5-0 run to take a 2-1 lead in the match. Five consecutive kills accounted for UC Davis’ run, including four from Keala Peterson. The Aggies then began the fourth set on a 14-10 run and never looked back the rest of the way.

Peterson led all players with 15 kills, including four blocks and a .300 hitting percentage (15-3-40). UC Davis limited Sacramento State to a .160 hitting percentage, the seventh consecutive match the Hornets have been held to a sub-.200 hitting percentage. Peterson, Renee Ibekwe (11), Melanie Adams (9) and Katie Denny (7) accounted for 42 of the Aggies’ 47 kills.

After hitting .242 and winning the first set with relative ease, Sacramento State failed to hit anything better than .184 in any of the final three frames, sealing the team’s defeat. Sacramento State did tally 77 digs, including 16 from Katie Van Der Wende, 15 from Desiree Hoyum and Brittany Ferguson, 14 from Rose Burke and 13 from Breanne Menees.

For the second consecutive match, freshman middle hitter Olivia Moss was the team’s best offensive performer as she had eight kills and a match-high .375 hitting percentage, committing just two errors in 16 attacks. Over her last two matches, Moss has combined for 20 kills and a .429 hitting percentage. This comes after she had combined for 12 kills through the first 12 matches of the season.

Sophomore Maddison Thivierge had nine kills, four blocks and four aces for a Hornet team that finished with nine aces and 10 service errors. Five Hornets had at least eight kills, including Desiree Hoyum (10), Cayti Crowton (10), Ferguson (9), Thivierge and Moss. However, Moss was the only Hornet to hit better than .208 during the match.

Ferguson was the Hornets' lone representative on the all-tournament team after finishing the tourney with averages of 2.67 kills and 2.67 digs per game to go along with a .225 hitting percentage. Her 32 kills over the three matches were the most on the team, and her 32 digs tied for the third best mark on the squad.

Sacramento State concludes its stretch of nine consecutive matches away from home next week when the team opens up Big Sky Conference play at Northern Arizona (Sept. 25) and Northern Colorado (Sept. 27). The Hornets have won the Big Sky’s regular season and/or tournament championship each of the last 11 years.