VOLLEYBALL BEGINS TOURNAMENT PLAY WITH FOUR-SET VICTORY OVER NEVADA

9/9/2011

Senior Eryn Kirby finished with a match-best 18 kills to go along with 15 digs, two aces and four blocks

BERKELEY, Calif. -- Behind double-doubles from Eryn Kirby (18 kills, 15 digs) and Janelle Currey (13 kills, 16 digs), Sacramento State outlasted Nevada, 3-1 (25-19, 23-25, 27-25, 26-24), in the first round of the Hilton Garden Inn Volleyball Classic at Haas Pavilion.

The Hornets (4-3 overall) will play three times over two days during the tournament, including a matchup with Georgetown later today at 5 p.m. Sacramento State wraps up the tournament tomorrow against top-ranked Cal, marking the first time the Hornets will play the nation’s No. 1 team since a 3-1 loss to Hawai’i in 1996.

In a matchup that was tight during each of the last three sets, the Hornets made the big plays when it was necessary, including a kill from setter Katie Aprile at 24-25 in the third set, and kills from Currey and Kayla Beal at 23-23 and 24-24 in the fourth set, respectively.

Sacramento State limited the Wolf Pack to a .113 hitting percentage as Nevada had more kills than the Hornets (54-50), but committed 33 errors in 186 total attacks. Sacramento State accounted for 91 digs and 11.0 team blocks, including a match-best 27 digs from libero Breanne Menees and match-high six blocks from middle blocker Olivia Moss.

The Hornets’ outside hitter tandem of Kirby and Currey accounted for 31 of the team’s 50 kills as Kirby hit .246 (18-4-57) while also adding four blocks. Currey’s 13 kills accompanied a .256 hitting percentage (13-2-43), and the double-double was the 40th of her career in the Green and Gold. Besides Currey and Kirby, no other Sacramento State player had more than five kills.

Defensively, Menees (27), Sydney Kordic (17), Currey (16) and Kirby (15) each posted double figures in digs. For Menees, it marked the fourth time in the last five matches she has accounted for at least 21 digs. Menees also tallied three of the team’s eight service aces.

Four Hornets had at least three blocks, including Moss’ season-high six, Beal (4), Kirby (4) and Kelsey Elston (3). Setter Anna Schoener finished with four kills, four digs, 24 assists and .375 hitting percentage while Aprile had a career-high three kills in three attempts.

Nevada had four players finish with double figures in kills, led by Elissa Ji’s 13 kills and 12 digs. Tessa Lea’ea added 11 kills and .360 hitting percentage.