Senior Kelly Voeltz

The Hornets have now won nine-consecutive conference matches and 27-straight games over that span. The team improved to 17-7 overall and 10-1 in the Big Sky. With three matches remaining on the schedule, Sacramento State needs just two victories to clinch its fifth-consecutive Big Sky regular season championship. Eastern Washington won its match against Idaho State to remain two games back of the Hornets in the standings.

With the loss, Montana has now lost four in a row and dropped to 5-14 overall and 2-10 in the Big Sky.

Dwyer’s 15 kills came on 27 total attacks as the middle hitter committed zero errors and finished with a .556 hitting percentage. She also tallied a team-high four blocks. Imrie finished with a .350 hitting percentage (10-3-20) as the middle hitter has hit above .300 in seven of her last 10 matches. Wright recorded her 11th double-double of the season (10 kills and a match-high 16 digs) as the outside hitter has paced the Hornets in digs in seven of the last nine matches.

Sophomore setter Lisa Beauchene finished with seven kills, 37 assists, eight digs and a .500 hitting percentage (7-0-14). Wright, Imrie (13), senior Kelly Voeltz (11) and sophomore Olivia Thomas (10) each finished with double figures in digs.

Joy Pierce led the Grizzlies with 12 kills while Lindsay Kaiser (11) and Lizzie Wertz (10) also finished with double-digit kills.

After pulling away late to squeak out a close game one (30-27), the Hornets committed just five errors the rest of the match, including one in game three. Sacramento State, which hit .290 for the match, hit .333 and .342 in games two and three, respectively. Conversely, Montana hit .130 for the match and was outblocked, 8.0-4.0.

The Hornets can clinch the conference regular season title on Saturday, Nov. 3 should they win at Montana State (6 p.m. PST start time) coupled with an Eastern Washington loss at home against Weber State. The regular season champion hosts the Big Sky Tournament which takes place Nov. 15-17.