VOLLEYBALL SNAPS SLIDE WITH FIVE-SET VICTORY OVER FRESNO STATE

9/12/2009

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Senior Desiree Hoyum had a match-high 23 kills, junior Maddison Thivierge had 13 kills and a .550 hitting percentage, and sophomore Kelsey Elston added nine blocks to lead Sacramento State to a 3-2 victory (22-25, 25-15, 25-16, 19-25, 15-12) over Fresno State in the second round of the Hornet Volleyball Invitational Saturday afternoon at Colberg Court.

The victory snapped a five-match losing streak for the Hornets, and ended a frustrating run that had seen the team lose each of its last four five-set matches. The victory improved Sacramento State to 3-5 overall and 1-1 at the two-day, three-match tournament. The Hornets will wrap up tournament play tonight when the team faces Alabama at 7:30 p.m.

With the loss, Fresno State had its four-match winning streak snapped, and dropped to 6-2 overall and 1-1 at the tournament. Heading into the afternoon portion of the tournament, San Francisco has a 2-0 record, Sacramento State and Fresno State are each 1-1, and Alabama is 0-2. Fresno State and San Francisco play tonight at 5 p.m., followed by the Hornets-Crimson Tide match.

In the fifth set, Sacramento State had to overcome an early 5-2 deficit with the help of service aces from Elston, and freshmen Sydney Kordic and Janelle Currey. The Hornets used a 9-2 run (which included each of those three aces and a pair of kills from sophomore Eryn Kirby) to take a commanding 11-7 lead. Fresno State closed to within two points of the Hornets’ lead on three occasions (12-10, 13-11, 14-12), but could get no closer.

The Hornets’ middle hitter combination of Thivierge (13-2-20) and Elston (6-1-13) combined for 19 kills, a .485 hitting percentage, three aces and 10 blocks. The .550 hitting percentage for Thivierge was a match and season high. Elston’s nine blocks were one shy of her career high.

“I was happy with our effort and aggressiveness in the fifth set, and we were really able to put pressure on Fresno State,” Sacramento State second-year head coach Ruben Volta said. “Throughout the match, we were able to serve tough and pass well, which allowed us to transition the middle effectively.”

Hoyum’s 23 kills for Sacramento State were three shy of her career high, and three of those kills came in the decisive fifth set. She also had 11 digs, and recorded her sixth double-double of the season. Joining Hoyum and Thivierge with double figures in kills was Currey, who finished with 11 kills, 13 digs, an ace and two blocks. The double-double for Currey was also her sixth of the season.

Hornet sophomore Breanne Menees led all players with 19 digs, and Kordic added nine digs. The Hornets hit .253 as a team, which was two percentage points shy of the team’s season best (.255 against Santa Clara).

Brianna Clarke led Fresno State with team highs in kills (15), blocks (8) and hitting percentage (.480), and Lauren Berger added 11 kills.