VOLLEYBALL PICKS UP FIRST BIG SKY VICTORY, DEFEATS IDAHO STATE

10/3/2008

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Junior Desiree Hoyum posted a match-high 17 kills - one shy of her career high - to lead Sacramento State to a 3-0 (25-20, 28-26, 25-14) victory over Idaho State in a Big Sky Conference volleyball match Friday evening at Colberg Court.

With the victory, Sacramento State (3-14, 1-2) picked up its first Big Sky win of the season. In addition, the team snapped a 12-match losing streak and won for the first time at home this season (1-3). Winners of 11 straight Big Sky regular season and/or tournament championships, the Hornets had begun the conference season 0-2 for the first time since joining the league in 1996.

With the loss, Idaho State dropped to 3-12 overall and 1-3 in the conference. Sacramento State is now 24-2 all-time against the Bengals, including eight straight victories dating back to 2004.

In addition, the Hornets continued their mastery of Big Sky competition at home, as the team has now won 62 of its last 63 regular season home matches against conference opposition.

Five different Hornets had at least seven kills in tonight’s match, comprised of Hoyum, senior Brittany Ferguson (11), sophomore Maddison Thivierge (7), and freshmen Kelsey Elston (7) and Eryn Kirby (7). Elston high a match-high .462 (7-1-13) hitting percentage, Ferguson .321 (11-2-28), Thivierge .294 (7-2-17) and Hoyum .237 (17-8-38). Hoyum also had 13 digs to notch her second double-double of the season.

Senior Rose Burke had 37 assists and a team-best 17 digs (sixth double-double of the season) and senior Katie Van Der Wende added 10 digs. Kirby also had six digs, two blocks and a match-high three aces to go along with her seven kills.

Sacramento State led Idaho State in nearly every statistical category, including kills (49-34), assists (44-32), aces (6-2), digs (64-48) and team blocks (5.0-3.0).

Trailing, 24-22, in the second set, Sacramento State received kills from Ferguson and Elston to tie the score at 24-24. The Hornets would never trail the rest of the match as a combo block from Ferguson and Thivierge eventually ended the second set, and the team jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the third set and never looked back.

Idaho State was led by Emily Waldron’s eight kills and Paige Palmer’s 20 digs.

Sacramento State returns to action tomorrow night when the team hosts Weber State (10-7, 1-2) at 7 p.m. Sacramento State is 21-6 all-time against Weber State, but the Wildcats snapped the Hornets’ 59-match Big Sky regular season home winning streak last season.