VOLLEYBALL FALLS TO WESTERN KENTUCKY IN FIRST ROUND OF DEPAUL INVITE
9/18/2009
CHICAGO, Ill. -- Sacramento State was limited to a season-low hitting percentage of .020 as Western Kentucky cruised to a three-set sweep (25-15, 25-14, 25-14) of the Hornets in the first round of the DePaul Invitational Friday afternoon at McGrath Arena.
Western Kentucky (8-4) had little trouble with a Sacramento State team that put up just 24 kills, 24 assists, 36 digs and 2.0 team blocks. In fact, the Hornets’ largest lead of the entire match came at 2-0 in the third set. Sacramento State, which had trouble with the Hilltoppers’ athleticism, had its three-match winning streak snapped and fell to 5-6 overall with the loss. In addition, of the Hornets’ six losses, today marked just the second time this season the team had been swept.
Sacramento State returns to action for its final two matches of the two-day tournament tomorrow when the team faces Eastern Michigan (8 a.m. PDT) and host DePaul (5:30 p.m. PDT).
In a match which lasted just one hour and six minutes, no player on the court had more than nine kills. Western Kentucky dominated Sacramento State in every statistical category, including hitting percentage (.317-.020), kills (42-24), digs (36-24) and team blocks (8.0-2.0).
Four of Western Kentucky’s starters hit better than .350, comprised of Tiffany Elmore (nine kills, .381), Abbie Siljendahl (seven kills, .462), Brittany Bowen (six kills, .357) and Lauren Stuckel (five kills, .833).
No Hornet with more than one kill hit better than .118 during the match. Leading the squad was senior Desiree Hoyum, who finished with eight kills and eight digs. Freshman Janelle Currey had four kills and four digs. Both Hoyum and Currey had posted double-doubles (kills and digs) in seven of the last eight matches until today’s contest.
Sophomore Kelsey Elston finished with five kills and a team-best two blocks, and junior Maddison Thivierge added four kills. Sophomore Breanne Menees led Sacramento State with 11 digs. Both Currey and Elston flew to Chicago early this morning separate from the team after suffering flu-like symptoms all day yesterday. The rest of the squad flew to Chicago early Thursday morning.
