VOLLEYBALL'S RUN OF SIX STRAIGHT BIG SKY TOURNAMENT TITLES COMES TO A CLOSE WITH LOSS TO NORTHERN COLORADO

11/28/2008

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Sacramento State’s run of six consecutive Big Sky Conference Volleyball Tournament championships came to a close after the Hornets fell to Northern Colorado, 3-1 (25-23, 18-25, 25-15, 25-15), in the quarterfinal round of the tournament today at the Stott Center.

Prior to today’s loss, Sacramento State had won the Big Sky Tournament championship every year since 2002, and the team will fail to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001. The Hornets, who were the No. 6 seed in the tournament, finish their season with a 10-23 overall record, the team’s first sub-.500 record since 1991 and the first non-20 win season since 1994. In addition, Sacramento State had won either the Big Sky’s regular season and/or tournament title each of the last 11 years, and that run has come to an end as well.

Sacramento State, which lost nearly its entire starting lineup from last year’s NCAA Tournament second round team, makes its earliest exit ever from the Big Sky Tournament. In fact, since joining the conference in 1996, the Hornets had reached the tournament’s championship match every year except 1999. Sacramento State also had its streak of 12 straight Big Sky Tournament victories come to a close as the team is now 20-4 all-time at the postseason event.

Northern Colorado (17-9), which is the No. 3 seed in the tournament, improved its record to 3-0 over Sacramento State this season and will now advance to the Big Sky Tournament semifinals where the team will face host Portland State tonight at 7:30 p.m. The Bears became the first team to beat the Hornets three times in the same season since Cal State Northrdige accomplished the feat in 1996. In addition, Northern Colorado has defeated the Hornets on four straight occasions dating back to last season, the longest winning streak ever posted by a Big Sky opponent against Sacramento State.

In today’s earlier quarterfinal match, No. 5 seed Weber State defeated No. 4 seed Montana, 3-2 (20-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-22, 15-12) to advance to tonight’s semifinals where they will face No. 1 seed Eastern Washington at 5:30 p.m.

A problem for the majority of the season, Sacramento State did not hit well during the match (.148). In fact, after the Hornets hit .302 during their second-set victory, the team’s hitting percentage worsened every set thereafter, including a .025 mark in the third, and a -.029 mark in the fourth. The Hornets had a chance to win the first set as the team battled back from a 19-14 deficit to tie the score at 23-23. However, Northern Colorado received a kill from Taylor Smith, and a solo block from Lauren Carter to claim the 25-23 first-set victory. Sacramento State dominated throughout the second set, and Northern Colorado never trailed in the third and fourth sets.

Northern Colorado finished the match hitting .253 and posted 12 more kills than Sacramento State (59-47). In addition, the Bears had 13 more digs (84-71) than the Hornets. Northern Colorado was led by Kenzie Shreeve’s match-high 16 kills while Taylor Smith (13) and Allison Raguse (13) joined Shreeve with double-figure kills.

The Hornets were led by sophomore Maddison Thivierge, who finished with 12 kills, four blocks and a team-best .435 hitting percentage. The middle hitter had just two errors in 23 attacks, and her hitting percentage was 224 points better than any other Hornet on the floor. Outside hitters Desiree Hoyum (13 kills, 16 digs) and Eryn Kirby (12 kills, 14 digs) both posted double-doubles, and libero Katie Van Der Wende led the team with 21 digs. Besides Thivierge, Hoyum and Kirby, no other Sacramento State player had better than four kills.

Sacramento State will return all but three players (Rose Burke, Brittany Ferguson and an Der Wende) next year as the team was playing with nine underclassmen this season. This year’s Big Sky Tournament appearance for the Hornets marked the team’s 13th straight year the team has reached the postseason event. Hoyum and Burke each received honorable mention all-conference honors.