VOLLEYBALL FALLS TO KANSAS STATE IN FIRST ROUND OF SAINT MARY’S TOURNAMENT

9/15/2011

Eryn Kirby finished with 17 kills and a .359 hitting percentage, but the Hornets fell to Kansas State

MORAGA, Calif. -- Kaitlynn Pelger had a match-best 22 kills to go along with a .357 hitting percentage to lead Kansas State to a 3-1 victory (17-25, 25-22, 25-20, 25-11) over Sacramento State in the first round of the Saint Mary’s Volleyball Tournament Thursday evening at McKeon Pavilion.

With the loss, the Hornets dropped to 5-6 overall this season, and the team will play two more tournament matches against host Saint Mary’s on Friday (7 p.m.) and Utah Valley on Saturday (4 p.m.). Kansas State improved to 9-3 overall and 1-0 at the tournament with the victory.

Sacramento State hung with a Kansas State team that has won five in a row as the Hornets won the first set relative easily and were locked in an 18-18 tie in the second and trailed just 18-17 in the third before dropping those two sets.

The Wildcats hit .287 as a team, accounting for 61 kills and just 18 errors in 150 attacks. In addition, KSU finished with 11.0 team blocks, including at least one from seven different players, and eight aces. Sacramento State hit a respectable .239 (49-17-134), but had 12 less kills than the Wildcats.

Pelger’s 22 kills accounted for over 35 percent of the team’s total output while Lilla Porubek added 11 kills and Dakota Kaufman had nine kills and a .292 hitting percentage.

For Sacramento State, senior outside hitter Eryn Kirby led the way with 17 kills and a team-high .359 hitting percentage (17-3-39). She was joined in double-figure kills by rightside hitter Kayla Beal (12 kills, .286 hitting percentage) and outside hitter Janelle Currey (11 kills, 14 digs). Libero Breanne Menees led all players with 22 digs, middle blocker Kelsey Elston had a team-high tying three blocks and setter Hannah Hettinga posted 25 assists.