VOLLEYBALL KNOCKS OFF GEORGETOWN, IMPROVES TO 2-0 AT CAL TOURNAMENT

9/9/2011

Sophomore Kayla Beal led all players with a career-high nine blocks, including three solo stuffs

BERKELEY, Calif. -- Kelsey Elston had nine kills and a match-high .400 hitting percentage and Kayla Beal added a career-high nine blocks to lead Sacramento State to a 3-1 victory (25-20, 25-23, 19-25, 25-17) over Georgetown in the second round of the Hilton Garden Inn Volleyball Classic at Haas Pavilion.

The Hornets improved to 5-3 overall this season and 2-0 at the two-day, three-match tournament. Sacramento State, which defeated Nevada in four sets earlier this afternoon, will take on top-ranked Cal on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the final round of the tournament.

Sacramento State had a season-high 16.0 team blocks while limiting Georgetown to a .074 hitting percentage. The Hoyas had 52 kills, but were forced into 40 errors in 162 attacks. Opponents have now hit .124 or less in each of the Hornets’ five wins this season, including a .113 mark earlier today by Nevada. Seven different Sacramento State players had at least two blocks in today’s match. Leading the block party was Beal’s nine blocks, three of which were solos. Elston and Maddison Thivierge had four stuffs apiece.

Georgetown led the Hornets in kills (52-43), assists (51-40) and digs (72-61), but Sacramento State committed 22 less attack errors and had 8.5 more team blocks.

Senior Eryn Kirby led Sacramento State in kills for the fourth straight match, finishing with 13 kills and 10 digs. Elston’s nine kills came with just one error in 20 attacks, while Janelle Currey added nine kills and team-high 16 digs. Setter Katie Aprile had nine digs, Breanne Menees eight digs and Sydney Kordic added seven digs. Beal also had six kills to go with her nine blocks.

Georgetown was led by Brooke Bachesta’s 12 kills while Tory Rezin led all players with 26 digs.